Zero G
by Torenza
Summary: AU. Inu.Kag. Kagome unwittingly falls into a deadly game as the victim of a conspiracy. The players are ruthless, and Kagome is way out of her depth, especially when the stakes are life and death. (R for violence, language, trolls, suggestive themes)
1. Prologue The Prey

**Disclaimer: **I don't Inuyasha. I'm just borrowing him for my diabolical plans. Rumiko gets him back when I'm done...

**Author's Notes: **New Story. No stick please.

* * *

**Zero G**

**Prologue**

**The Prey  
**

Wednesday was always a pretty slow weekday for "Curl up and Dye" hair and beauty salon, especially towards the evening. That was normally when Kagome had her shift, and as usual, there were only a few clients and all of them were in the back having dye jobs and Tibetan body masks. Kagome was manning the front desk, but with so little business she had already begun to pass the time trying to perfect a little something she'd been working on over the past few months…

"Acetyl-hepatpeptide-3… two grams… and…" she paused to press her pen again her lips in thought. "Sodium PCA… with DMAE… three grams…"

The television was droning on in the background, set to the music channel. Some subliminal messaging little pop band was on, and the lyrics were already grating on her nerves.

"-_I wanna be like everyone else, don__'__t wanna stand out, don'__t want to scream and shout_-"

Kagome ground her teeth slightly.

"-_Wanna stay in school and do my best, because the future__'__s resting on my crest-_"

Kagome's fist hit the remote control beside her notebook and the channel immediately switched over. There was only so much brainwashing she could take. Not that any of the other channels were much better.

_"__-The government announced today that_-"

Kagome hit the remote again.

_"__-Bumble Bimblebee is coming to town_-"

Smack!

_"__-and plans to bring in new legislations regarding weekend uniforms for the general public with-"_

Smack!

"-_vacuum cleaners attached to the back-_"

Crash!

_"__-this gives extra comfort for_-"

_"__-albino rhinoceroses_-"

"I give up!" Kagome hit the power button and the television blinked off in a second. She sighed as she ran a hand through her hair and looked back down at her notes. She needed to keep focused rather than worrying about what new crazy laws the government had brought in to keep the country just one big conforming army.

The formula she was working on was no ordinary formula, but one for an anti-wrinkle cream. Her grandmother had started the research over fifty years ago, but the woman had died before perfecting the equations. Kagome had taken it upon herself to try to complete the product and hopefully market it one day in the salon with the name her grandmother had chosen.

Zero-G.

Anti-wrinkle, scar concealer, cellulite cream and stretch mark treatment all in one. It would be the perfect product… if it wasn't for the fact that some of the active ingredients gave off a rather unpleasant smell. That needed to be sorted without adding a scent strong enough to kill off the active chemicals…

"Aloe Vera, maybe?" Kagome suggested to herself as she scribbled down the idea. _Or perhaps I should try vanilla…_

"Kagome," Yuka, her friend and the daughter of the salon's owner, suddenly appeared at the bottom of the stairs behind the desk. "Mama says that we have to go to my great uncle's funeral tomorrow so we're closing early to do the books. You can go home if you want. We have everything covered."

"Really?" Kagome set down her pen and blinked at her friend. "Sorry about your uncle."

Yuka shrugged with a lopsided grin. "Not that I knew the old fart. He was a horrible man apparently, and the only reason we're going is to pick up the inheritance. Funerals suck… they're so boring."

Kagome smiled. "Then I'll take off. Maybe I'll have a chance to get some shopping done before the eight o'clock curfew?"

"Yeah, good luck with that." Yuka turned and scurried back up the stairs. "See you on Friday!"

"See ya!" Kagome called back as she grabbed her bag from under the desk and began loading her notepad and various other scraps of scribbles into it.

It was a long walk back to the Higurashi shrine, so Kagome was glad for her long, thick cardigan to guard against the cool air. She planned to do a little shopping on the way… but one glance at her watch told her that she only had half an hour to spare, and Kagome didn't fancy staying out after curfew. It was a crime of the under-eighteens that was punishable by one month in a juvenile delinquency facility.

Kagome hugged herself briskly as she walked along the empty street, eyes flicking from shop window to shop window. Most of them were closed by now, so Kagome was forced to keep walking. In fact, the whole street was devoid of all life and vehicles… apart from that motorbike…

Kagome slowed as she drew alongside the bike, the cogs beginning to turn in her head as she tried to remember where she'd seen it before. Then she noticed the bold fire symbol on the front of the body and it clicked. _I know where you__'__re from_… she thought in excitement as she reached out and skimmed her fingers across the smooth panel. If the bike was here, then where was its owner?

"Kagome Higurashi?"

Kagome turned slowly to face the inquirer. A young man with platinum blonde hair and a rough, but attractive kind of face. Kagome saw his jacket and the helmet under his arm and recognised him in an instant, even though she'd never laid eyes on him in her life. "You…" Had he been waiting in that alley all along?

"I seem to recall that you owe me a favour." he said as he moved towards her. "I think it's about time that I was repaid."

Kagome frowned uncertainly as she moved away from the bike a few steps. He set his helmet down on the seat carefully before turning to face her. He seemed to be waiting for something, but Kagome wasn't sure what to say. "Repay you?" she echoed. "What would you like? I mean… I don't have any money or… surely I don't really need to repay you. I know I said that I was indebted but I didn't really _mean _it. What on earth do I have that you would want?"

He shrugged as he reached into his jacket and produced something which looked similar to a rock. "Let's just start with your life, shall we?"

Kagome's blood ran cold and her legs froze in place. Her mind registered the make-shift weapon, joined it with what he'd just spoken, and told her that she was in danger. But her brain was faster than her body, which had yet to even move let alone run away. She remained staring at the heavy, blunt object and tried to decide if it was even a good idea to run at all.

Then he smiled and took a step towards her. Kagome's adrenaline kicked into full gear and instantly she turned to flee – but too late – he caught hold of her sleeve.

"**Let go**!" she screamed, praying that if she shouted loud enough, someone would hear her and come to her aid. "**Stop it!**"

"Calm down, you're making this difficult." She heard him say as he jerked her back towards him with one deft tug.

Kagome glanced back in time to see him raise the rock above his head. The next moment, a light flashed behind her eyes and a searing pain shot through her head as her body suddenly went numb. She felt him let go of her sleeve, but she only managed to stagger a few unsteady steps before she fell forward onto her hands and knees. Her vision was wobbling and black spots were dancing… and already she knew that she was going to be beaten to death, dropped in that dumpster in the alley, and found on Thursday morning by an unlucky hobo.

Nonetheless, she crawled on aimlessly, listening to the instinct that told her to keep running.

Someone grabbed the back of her throat, and in that moment Kagome gave up and surrendered to the black void that was closing in on her consciousness. She'd rather die now than live through more pain.

Her last coherent thought was a vow…

If there was such a thing as the afterlife, she would never move on to the next world until she'd exacted her revenge on this man.

Then she was gone.

* * *

Next update: Chapter One: 72 hours earlier. 


	2. 72 Hours Earlier

**Author's Notes: **Super duper fast update for all you lovely people! A lot of people are wondering who the 'platinum blonde' guy is so you'll be happy to find the answer in this chapter. :) But honestly, I think you all know already…

(By the by, this chapter is much longer. The first was only a prologue so that's my excuse as to why it's so flipping short…)

* * *

**Zero-G**

**Chapter One**

**72 Hours Earlier…**

Inuyasha knew he'd found the right flat when he saw the scribbled nametag next to the intercom button.

"Fukurou Mizutani." he read the name off before pressing a digit against the button next to it. A harsh buzz rang out and Inuyasha looked around the street, casually sussing out any onlookers.

The intercom crackled. "Yeah, what is it?"

"Pizza delivery!" Inuyasha proclaimed with as much enthusiasm as necessary. Beside the intercom was a camera set into the wall, and the hanyou lifted the pizza box he was carrying to show proof.

"I didn't order no pizzas…" the gravely voice sounded from the speaker.

"But… you _are _Mr Mizutani, right?" Inuyasha looked down at the scrap of paper taped to the pizza box.

"Yeah, but I didn't order the pizza." was the testy response. "Beat it, punk."

With a sigh, Inuyasha snapped up the visor of his helmet. "Look, man, I've just driven all the way from downtown on my bike. That's three miles! Do you know how much fuel costs these days?"

"That's not my problem-"

"Please just take the pizza - I'll chip in some of my own money, but if I go back with nothing to show for the trip, then I'll be fired." Inuyasha shifted his stance and gave the camera a pleading look. "Dude, if I lose my job, I lose everything! I have a girlfriend and a little baby girl who need clothing and shelter and my boss is just looking for one more excuse to send me back into the gutter!"

"But-"

"You gotta help me!"

The intercom crackled as the silence stretched on the other end. Inuyasha waited anxiously, his palms beginning to sweat. _If I don't win this guy over, I'm in deep shi-_

"What kind?"

Inuyasha blinked. "Excuse me?"

"The pizza. What kind is it?"

"Oh…" Inuyasha looked down at the box. "Uh… mixed vegetables."

"No pepperoni?"

"Of course there's pepperoni!" Inuyasha said eagerly. "We always throw meat into the vegetarian special."

"How much?"

"Six hundred yen." Inuyasha informed him. "But for you, it can be four hundred."

"Fine." the intercom speaker surrendered reluctantly. "Bring it up."

The intercom buzzed again and the door beside Inuyasha opened with a heavy metallic _clank!_ "Thank you!" Inuyasha waved at the camera one last time before entering through the door. The man's flat was two floors up and the young man made light work of the stairs.

It was a nice hallway with a nice banister and nice doors with quaint golden numbers painted on them. Mizutani lived at Number 4… a door which kind of let the whole place down. Chipped blue paint was peeling onto the carpet, a carpet which had been visibly worn just beneath the door itself, and there were several suspicious looking holes in the wood around the doorknob like someone had been awfully clumsy with a hammer and nail.

Inuyasha rapped on the door.

The light beneath the doorway flickered and shifted with movement behind it. A few moments later and the door had been swung wide open to reveal a rather irritable looking man standing there in his boxers whilst scratching his unmentionables.

"Pizza deliv-"

"Yeah, I heard you the first time." Mizutani grumbled as he snatched the box out of Inuyasha's hands. "Here's your money."

"Thanks, man." Inuyasha accepted the small wad of bills and pretended to count them. To be honest, he didn't particularly care if the man had short-changed him; he was too busy scanning the stairwell for other flat tenants.

"Hey, punk!" Mizutani suddenly whirled on him, in the process of closing his door. "What the hell's the big idea?"

"Excuse me?" Inuyasha contrived to look innocent as he leant forward to see what was upsetting the man. The money disappeared into the pocket of his jeans. "Is something wrong?"

"This pizza has already been half-eaten by someone!" The man brandished the box at Inuyasha. Looking inside, the delivery boy noted that yes, half of the pizza seemed to have been eaten already. And it was old. Two days old, in fact.

"Yes…" Inuyasha said slowly. "That was you."

The man spluttered in outrage. "I seriously doubt _that!_"

"Oh no, it's true." Inuyasha nodded at the box. "Remember Pizza Hut the day before yesterday? I guess you ate all the pepperoni off the top…"

Mizutani just stared rather incredulously at him. "What's going on here?" he demanded. "Why have you brought me a leftover pizza?"

"Because when the police arrive and find the half eaten pizza, they'll conclude that you must have been alive after I left." Inuyasha slipped a hand into the pocket of his jacket and pulled out an Ikea issue kitchen knife. "If you catch my drift?"

The man looked distinctly like he was about to wet his boxers the moment he spotted the knife. The terror was plain to see. Inuyasha felt a small twinge of pity for the man and wondered if he could just stop now and walk away.

The simple answer was no.

Mizutani took one step back, and in that fraction of a second, Inuyasha swept forward to push the man against the wall. One hand clapped over his mouth to silence his screams, and one blade slid between his ribs to silence him forever.

There seemed to be no such thing as a light dimming in a dying man's eyes, as this man's eyes remained bright even after he'd drawn his last breath. But Inuyasha felt his rigid, shocked body loosen and saw his irises expand, almost as if he was looking far into the distance the very moment he died.

Blood now stained his gloves, and a little of the warmth was trickling down the sleeves of his jacket, but he didn't waste time trying to clean himself up. The faster he got out of there, the better. Stepping back, and taking his knife with him, Inuyasha let the body crumple to the floor and stood for a moment inspecting his work.

The man probably lived alone so it would be better to leave the door ajar in order for him to be found. There was no need to try and hide the body since the smell would eventually alert the other occupants anyway. The pizza box lay discarded on the floor close by… too close. Inuyasha shuffled the box with one foot into the pigsty of a living room and managed to kick it onto the sofa. This way it would look like Mizutani had been busy enjoying his pizza when his killer had rung the doorbell. And said pizza had been frozen for two days to give it that just cooled down look rather than the shrivelled, mouldy two day old food look. Mizutani's saliva would be on the food as well, so that was another hurdle crossed.

The murder weapon was coming with him, just in case it was ever linked back to him.

Moving back to the front door, Inuyasha fished around the coat stand for a moment, in search of the man's wallet. When he found it, he extracted the cash and let the leather pocket fall onto the man's chest. Perfect. Now it simply looked like a punk in search of quick money had assaulted the man, rather than a contract killer.

"Sorry about this." he told the dead man as he counted the money in his fist and wondered how much food he could buy with it at the local supermarket. "But you shouldn't have messed with the Coalescence…"

Inuyasha pocketed the bills and left the flat without a word. He didn't hurry as he left the building and got on his bike like it was the most normal day in the world. He was just about to set off when his phone rang off in his pocket. Inuyasha had to turn off the engine and remove his helmet before he could answer it. "Yeah, what?" he demanded abruptly as he combed out his hair with his fingers.

"Have you done it?"

"Sure." Inuyasha glanced around yet again for more eavesdroppers, but the only people on the street were just passers-by who weren't listening to anyone outside their own head.

"Clean?"

"Spotless." Inuyasha pulled off a glove to examine the blood beginning to dry under his claws.

"Good. In that case, I have a new mission for you."

Inuyasha scoffed at his boss. "Two in one day? You're pushing it a little much, aren't you?"

"Perhaps. But this one's a personal request from a friend of yours."

The hanyou's interest was piqued. "Go on."

"Kikyo's calling in a favour."

* * *

There once was a time when Tokyo had been a bright and lively place to live. People had worn whatever they pleased, from tracksuits to business suits, from miniskirts to jeans, from breezy little dresses in summer to warm knitted cardigans in winter. Colours had been everywhere, painting the signs outside shops and giving life to the occasional festival that paraded through the streets.

It hadn't been that long ago. Maybe three or four years. The change hadn't been all that sudden, otherwise Kagome would have remembered it a little better

But a few of the changes _had _been overnight. Kagome distinctly remembered the day that she'd arrived at school, only to be called into an unexpected assembly in the Hall. There, all the children were informed that the school uniform was changing. The green, white and red colour code would be dropped in favour of black, grey and white, and all girls were to wear their skirts no shorter than six inches above the knee. Socks were to be pulled up at all times and no coats were allowed - only the uniform fleece pullover.

This was actually received with great enthusiasm. Darker colours were more trendy at the time, and longer skirts meant fewer accidents involving gusts of wind.

But not long after this new rule was enforced, a new _law _was introduced. All school children were not permitted to change out of school uniform on school days, even after school had ended. The reasoning for this was so that troublemakers hanging around after curfew would be identified more easily thanks to their school badge.

This hadn't bothered Kagome. She'd never found it practical to change out of uniform in the first place since there wasn't much day left after school had finished (at least, not after they extended the school hours from nine am to six pm on Mondays and Tuesdays). However, it was only a few months later that this law was then extended over Sunday, and soon every child in Tokyo found themselves wearing a uniform twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week.

And that was when Tokyo had turned black.

Kagome's school wasn't the only one enforcing this black uniform. Walking through her home district, Kagome saw several other students who wore exactly the same uniform - different only for the white logo on their black caps. Even Souta's school was using the same uniform, and as a result the two siblings had often taken the wrong hat to school.

Too many times had Kagome paraded around with the 'baby school' hat on her head.

It wasn't just the kids either. Soon enough, all the adults were wearing black and grey - even Kagome's mother. Grandpa tended to wear black and grey, so there wasn't much change there.

Even now, Kagome couldn't quite remember just when or how it had all happened. More often than not, she had heard her Grandpa muttering about the _Coalescence_ having something to do with it. Kagome just rolled her eyes whenever she heard this. The Coalescence was some kind of underground mafia thing that was trying to disrupt society in all sorts of destructive ways - it was mostly run by demons… which said it all, really. Demons were always trying to get one over on humans. They claimed to be fighting for 'equal rights' when all they really wanted was complete and total domination. But Kagome reckoned that if the Coalescence had enough power to bring around such laws as these, then why would they be resorting to terrorist actions to get noticed? Surely, if they were in power, more people than just Grandpa would know about it?

But Grandpa wasn't the only one getting into the conspiracy theories. It was a popular hobby amongst young people too…

"You know Mrs Ingleham?"

Kagome looked down at her little brother with a raised eyebrow. "The English teacher at your school?" she recalled. "Stop messing with your hat." Walking him to school was always a trial…

Souta obliged by jamming it back over his head at a quirky angle. "She's in the Coalescence."

Kagome scratched her cheek. "Oh?"

"Yeah. She's always got this shifty look about her - and she's always on the phone talking in code-"

"Souta, that's English." Kagome smacked him gently around the back of the head - just enough to upset his hat. "Of course, you wouldn't know that considering how much attention you pay in your language classes."

"Language is boring." he complained. "I wanna go dissect frogs!"

"You perfectly horrid child." Kagome admonished as they turned the next corner, vaguely distracted by the sudden volume of people she was having to push through.

This was where the pair would usually catch the bus to go to school. The station was nearly always crowded… but not _this _crowded. In fact, there were so many people around that the traffic was simply stationary. No one was moving.

"What's going on?" Souta stood on tip toes, futilely trying to peer through the crowd of gathered citizens.

All their attention seemed focused ahead… and was that the flashing light of an ambulance? "Something's happened…" Kagome frowned. And ever the curious cat, she grabbed her brother's hand and began dragging him through the crowd, elbowing her way past the ones who didn't move.

"Jeez, Kagome… you're so aggressive." Souta stumbled along behind her helplessly.

But it paid off, as they soon found themselves at the front of the crowd, standing behind a long white barrier of police tape. "Oh god…" Kagome pressed her fingers against her mouth in shock as she stared at the scene before her.

One of the buses was on fire. But not only was it on fire, it also looked like it had exploded first. The carriage bulged outwards, the roof curved upwards and the windows were either spider webbed or completely shattered. Metal shrapnel lay everywhere… as well as people. So far, only a couple of civilians had been moved into ambulances.

That's when Kagome saw the broken, flickering number plate above the demolished bus. "Hey… that's the 747." she gaped. "That was _our _bus."

"Good thing we weren't early…" Souta said, looking somewhat pale as he watched another wailing passenger be lifted onto a stretcher.

"What happened here?" she wondered aloud, not really expecting anyone to answer.

"The Coalescence." A woman dressed in the grey uniform of a business employee leant over to tell her. "It was a terrorist attack."

Suddenly, the shock of the entire situation lessened a little for Kagome. This happened practically everyday and the less you involved yourself, the better. "Come on, Souta." Kagome caught her brother's hand again. "We have to get to school."

"But there's no bus-"

"Then we'll just have to walk."

They'd undoubtedly be late, and Kagome would undoubtedly be held responsible for Souta's tardiness as well, but it couldn't be helped. Better to be late than absent completely… the new law enforcement didn't take kindly to children who skipped their education.

"Kagome…"

"What is it?" she snapped at her younger sibling, feeling on edge after what she'd just witnessed.

"It's happening more often, isn't it?"

Kagome glanced distractedly down at Souta. "What are you talking about?"

"The Coalescence… they're doing more stuff every day. Killing people and that." Souta gratefully came to a stop when his sister slowly let go of his hand. "I mean, like, the day before yesterday there was some guy on the news who owed the Coalescence money and they just killed him in his home, and took the money from his wallet."

Kagome gave her brother a pained expression. This wasn't a safe topic of conversation. The only safe thing to do these days was to shut up, keep your head down, and obey the rules. "Souta, what are you worried about? It's not like there's any _proof _that the Coalescence blew up our bus."

One pointed look from her brother and Kagome knew she was being an idiot. Who else would have the resources and desire to blow up a bus full of people? "Look, don't stress over it. It's nothing to do with us." She bent down and tugged his cap so it was cock-eyed again. She smiled reassuringly. "You're a good kid, Souta. You keep out of trouble and trouble will leave you alone."

He didn't look convinced. "But what if Mama hadn't moved my shoes last night and I'd been able to find them this morning… what if we'd been early and we'd caught the bus before it blew-"

"But we didn't. We're ok." She took his hand again. "And now we're going to school."

"But what about the next time?" he asked as he reluctantly dragged his feet after her.

"There will be no next time - pick your feet up - and near misses like that happen once in a life time. Actual hits _never_ happen. Things like that only ever happen to other people, Souta. Trust me."

"That's what people say after really bad things happen to them." he muttered before miming, "_You always think it happens to someone else until it happens to you!_"

"And notice how _they _are other people?"

"Yeah - _for now!_"

"Urgh - whatever! Just stop talking to me!" Kagome barged her way past another black-clad pedestrian and forked between two business men in grey. Souta was still dragging his feet, but at least he was keeping up better than before. "We're going to be _so _late." she groaned more to herself than her brother as she rounded another street corner and crashed into another lattice of slow moving commuters. Souta's school was at least three blocks away, and hers was two in the opposite direction. It might be quicker for her to let him travel there on his own, but there was no way she trusted Tokyo to take care of a ten year old boy.

Naturally, the school bell had already rung by the time Kagome shoved Souta through the gates and began scampering back the way she'd come. It was a good thing that she'd joined the school track team; otherwise, her stamina wouldn't have been near good enough to-

"Ow - stitch - ow - ow!" Her gallop slowed to a mere power walk as she pressed a hand against the pain in her side.

She had to draw to a stop outside the local supermarket and sit down on one of the handy benches to catch her breath. It pained her to think that every gasp of air she took was another second of tardiness. Her teacher was going to commit bloody murder if Kagome turned in late one more time. Maybe she should just feign illness and go back home?

A flash of colour caught Kagome's eye, and her head tilted up to focus on the source.

A motorbike. A very swish one at that. Shiny and black with silver symbols and lettering over the frame. But there were daring splashes of red, too, like the bold Chinese symbol for "fire" at the front of the bike. The owner of that bike must have been a very rebellious man. The owner of that bike also seemed to be somewhere else.

Like a magpie to glitter, Kagome stood and shuffled closer to the bike with red splashes. Kagome was almost certain it was illegal to have more than two basic colours decorating one's mode of transport, and bikes had gone out of production three years ago. Hardly anyone drove them these days.

The schoolgirl touched the handlebars hesitantly. She'd never admitted it to anyone before because it wasn't a very proper thing for a young lady to think that way… but Kagome liked a lot of raw power between her legs.

"Hands off the bike, princess!"

Kagome practically started out of her skin as two hands clamped over her shoulders and jerked her backwards. She quickly pulled herself from the stranger's grasp and whirled around. Now, if she'd thought the bike was flashy, she was sadly mistaken. That bike didn't hold a candle compared to how daring its owner was.

He wasn't wearing the official biker outfit, just black jeans and a black jacket. Enough to keep within the law. But what almost appalled Kagome were the red chevrons running down his sleeves and across his helmet. Was it _allowed _to wear such things in public?

"Um… I was just admiring it." she apologised quickly. "I'm sorry."

The man shrugged. But with his visor down, it was hard to tell if he was angry or if he had even accepted the apology. He moved around her and began loading his two bags of shopping into the cargo panniers behind the bike's seat. Kagome watched him awkwardly. "It's really nice… where did you get it?"

"Gift. Overseas." was the grunted response.

"Ahh…" Kagome nodded. "It's nice."

"You said that already."

"Oh, did I? Sorry."

"That too." The man turned to her. "Is there something you want?" he asked as he snapped the panniers shut.

"Oh… no… I was just… wondering about your jacket." Kagome gestured towards his clothes. "It's not… technically legal, is it?"

"What, are you going to report me or something?" he challenged coldly.

"No!" Kagome quickly waved her hands. "No - I was just admiring them and-"

"Admiring. Right. I get it." The stranger lifted his leg and straddled the bike in one smooth manoeuvre. Kagome watched him with keen interest, mentally taking notes for the unlikely day that she ever got one of these vehicles for herself. Suddenly, the helmet turned towards her. "Don't I know you from somewhere?"

Kagome looked at him. Or tried to. There wasn't an inch of bare flesh available for her eyes… there was no way for her to recognise him even if they were next door neighbours. "Uh… no, I don't think so."

"You look really familiar."

"I must have that kind of face." she grinned sheepishly. "Hey… I think you have a little brown paint on your watch."

The biker glanced down at his wide-strapped leather watch. "Oh… yeah, that's paint. Definitely." It was almost self-conscious, the way he tugged his jacket sleeve further down.

That's when Kagome remembered the time. "Oh crap! I'm supposed to be at school!" _Not hanging around supermarkets and talking to strangers with cool bikes!_ However preferable it was. "I'm sorry, I'd better get going before-"

"Where's your school?" the stranger suddenly asked.

"About five blocks that way." She pointed down the road. "Block four, building seven."

"Right." The man's foot moved, and suddenly the motorbike was roaring to life. Kagome skipped back a few steps, startled again. "Hop on."

Kagome deadpanned. "What?"

"You want to get to school, don't you?"

"You can't just order young girls to get on your bike!" Kagome burst out.

"Why not?" the stranger challenged.

"Because you sound like a paedophile!"

"I'm just trying to be nice. I need some good karma." He shrugged.

Kagome huffed. She glanced at her watch and grimaced. She had about five minutes before registration started, and if she didn't get there before then, she'd suffer a permanent black mark on her record. And tardiness was quite possibly one of the worst offences a student could commit; punishable by lines, two week detentions, and in some cases expulsion. Yep. Tardiness was quite serious. More so than setting fire to a teacher's beard (that was only a three day detention).

If Kagome walked, she would never make it… but this guy was offering her a free ride. "Wait - it is _free, _right?"

"Look, if you don't get on within the next couple of seconds, then I'm driving off. I have ice cream in those bags, you know." He tipped his helmet towards the cargo containers.

"But I don't have a helmet." she protested. Yet even though her mouth said 'no', her heart was screaming 'Yes! Yes! Take me!'.

"Then I promise I won't crash." He held a hand over his heart.

It was probably an astoundingly bad idea, but Kagome really didn't want to be stuck writing hand-cramping lines for the next three weeks about how she was never going to be late again. Biting her lip, she ignored the voice of reason in her head and slipped onto the seat behind the driver. For a moment, she didn't quite know where to put her hands-

"Around my waist, pet."

"Oh, sorry." She locked her hands together in front of his stomach, wondering how on earth she'd managed to find herself embracing a man she'd only known for thirty seconds or so.

"Keep your feet on the rests and no screaming. You'll lose your legs and I'll crash otherwise."

"Noted." Kagome clenched her fingers tightly and concentrated totally on keeping her feet against the available foot rests. Then the bike was vibrating and roaring beneath her and the ground was beginning to move. Kagome suppressed an excited squeak as she clutched the man's waist tightly and the exhaust fumes washed over her.

One break in the traffic and they were away, weaving in and out of slower moving cars and daringly skipping along the white line. It was tricky stuff, but Kagome wasn't all that scared. She loved theme park rides, loved standing on the glass floor of Mizuka tower looking down at the roads and buildings beneath her, loved hanging off the rail of boats when on lakes, and apparently she loved high speed 'zoom zoom'.

She tried to stop herself, but the happy scream gurgled up in her throat as they shot around another corner, sending shivers along the hairs on the back of her neck.

"Scared?" She heard him call, almost smugly.

"No!" she laughed, though she knew he was probably trying to frighten her.

And because Kagome was a romantic (a discreet one, but a romantic nonetheless), she pictured this scene in her head from an onlookers point of view and realised that this person she was holding might look like her boyfriend. Kagome certainly wouldn't mind having a boyfriend who would drive her places on his bike… but perhaps not this guy. This guy seemed to struggle with normal conversation.

The school arrived almost too quickly, and before Kagome knew it, they were slowing to a stop outside the gates. Thirty seconds before the bell went, according to the giant clock tower on the face of the building, and as usual, Kagome's friends were still waiting around the entrance for her. Even from here, Kagome could see the shock on their faces and could already imagine the questions they'd ask once she was in their grasp.

"Thank you so much." Kagome bubbled as he helped her off the bike. "You've probably saved my life."

"And you've probably saved my soul." It was probably a joke, but Kagome couldn't detect any humour or sarcasm in his voice.

She smiled anyway. "My name's Kagome Higurashi, by the way. And if you ever need a favour-"

"Doubtful. But thanks." He shrugged. "I'm Inu - uh… Inokku. Inokku Yoshikawa."

"Well, thank _you,_ Inokku Inokku Yoshikawa." She bowed gratefully. "See you around maybe."

She turned and ran off towards her waiting friends, and Inuyasha leant back in his seat to square his shoulders. "Yeah… that's likely."

So this was the school that Kikyo was always on about. That girl was related to her… and the name only proved it. Kikyo always talked about her… but it was hardly ever pleasant things that passed her lips.

Inuyasha's pocket began to vibrate. Someone was trying to contact him. He spared a hasty glance around - checking that Higurashi had gone inside with her friends - before pushing off his helmet and bringing his phone to an ear. "Yeah?"

"Something's come up. We need you back at base." a slow, smooth voice told him on the other end.

Inuyasha smirked. "Sure, whatever. But you'll never guess who I just met..."

* * *

"Kagome! What are you doing accepting rides off strangers!" Yuka was three inches away from grabbing her friend by the lapels and shaking some common sense into her head. "That's _dangerous!_ He could be some kind of psycho! He could have driven you off to god knows where and done away with you!"

"Relax!" Kagome leant back in her chair. "I'm here safe and sound, aren't I? And before the bell, I might add."

"That still doesn't excuse you." Eri added reproachfully. "Didn't your mother ever tell you not to speak to strangers?"

"Actually… no." Kagome pursed her lips. "But not every stranger has a super cool bike like that one."

Now it was Ayumi's turn to berate her. "He looked like a law-breaker to me. Did you see those red chevrons on his jacket? No way is that guy going to last another week without being pulled up by the police for breaking Section 20A."

Kagome rolled her eyes. "What does it matter, anyway? It's not like I'm likely to ever meet him again. I don't even know what he looks like-"

"And I bet you don't even know his name." Eri lectured.

"Inokku Yoshikawa." Kagome filled in primly. "He told me. And I told him mine."

"Urgh… Kagome." Yuka groaned. "Now he'll probably be able to find out where you live… there's only one Kagome at one Higurashi Shrine in the entirety of Japan!"

It was Kagome's turn to refrain from shaking her friend until her black crest cap fell off. "Look - not everyone is a crazy psycho, Yuka. He was just giving me a lift! He wanted good karma."

"Then he's one of those crazy religious types." Yuka exclaimed.

It was no use. Her friends were the three most paranoid schoolgirls in their district and together, they could be intolerable. It was better to just change the subject. "Hey, Yuka, can you tell your Mom that I want a raise?"

"Tell her yourself. You're working tonight, right?" Yuka returned.

"Yeah… but it sounds better coming from you." Kagome said sweetly.

"Hey, when you finish that formula for that crazy anti-wrinkle cream and you make our salon a bundle, then we'll pay you a bundle too." Yuka grinned. "Not that you'd still be working for us, Miss Millionaire."

At that moment the door opened, and the class hastily rose from their seats to stand to attention as the teacher entered.

"Don't worry, I'll give each of you guys a million." Kagome whispered to her friends, who grinned back at her.

* * *

Jaken coughed and wheezed up the steps to Naraku's office, his small legs making it difficult to be much faster than the asthmatic ant he resembled. He knocked on the office door and waited for Naraku's even "Come." before entering.

"Mr Naraku, sir." he panted. "Inuyasha has arrived."

"Then where is he?" Naraku asked without looking up from his desk.

"Brawling with Kouga down in the parking lot."

"Hmmm." Naraku hummed. "Good. Perhaps the grease and oil will make it too difficult for them to tear flesh."

"Sir…?"

"Fear not, toadman-"

"…it's Jaken, sir."

"-for I will go and break up the fight."

The Coalescence was based in a downtown office block, complete with adjoining car parking facilities. Directly across the road was the Police Headquarters of Tokyo, but there was no better place to hold their base of operations… other than right under the enemy's nose, so to speak.

Naraku found the two culprits wrestling around on the car park concrete, second floor, surrounded by a group of twenty other Coalescence cell agents.

"Say it!" Inuyasha was shouting as he sat on Kouga's chest.

"Fuck you!" the wolf cried back.

Inuyasha punched him around the jaw. "Say it!"

"_Fuck_! _You_!" Kouga snarled back, and suddenly surged upwards to deliver a nasty head butt for Inuyasha.

"Ow… fuck you!" Inuyasha growled and lunged at the other agent again.

"People, people, nothing to see here." Naraku called drolly as he ushered the chanting spectators away. He then proceeded to collar Inuyasha in order to drag him off the wolf. "What's all this about then?"

"He said my bike looked like a girl's bike!" Inuyasha raged, glaring daggers at Kouga.

"Kouga's entitled to his opinions, Inuyasha." Naraku told him.

"It wasn't an opinion, it was a fact!" Kouga spat blood onto the ground beside him.

Inuyasha made to throw himself at the wolf youkai again. "Why you-"

"Calm yourself, Inuyasha." Naraku literally reined him in. "You look a state already, so let's not make it any worse. Besides… we have an important meeting to attend to."

"Fine." Inuyasha tugged himself free of his boss's grasp and shot a ferocious look at Kouga as well as a pointed finger. "Next time I see you, you're _dead_!" he hissed, before whipping around to follow Naraku back inside the office.

Kouga crowed after him like he'd won the fight. "Who's a good little lap dog then?" His laughter rang out till the door swung shut behind Inuyasha.

"I'm sure we've kept her waiting long enough, thanks to your antics." Naraku reprimanded the young hanyou as they climbed the stairwell. "You know how uptight she is about being punctual."

"She puts the anal in beauty analyst." Inuyasha grumbled.

Naraku led him to an empty room on the top floor of the office. It was dark in there, filled with a dim orange light from the lamps at the corners of the room. Most of the natural light had been blocked off with the tinted window panels. Naraku had most of the windows like this… after all, the building _was _facing the police station.

Kikyo sat at the very end of long and empty meeting table. She had a portfolio laid out before her and greeted the two men with a mild and rather vacant smile. "Good morning." She tipped her head.

Naraku returned the greeting, but said nothing. The boss took his seat opposite the young woman and Inuyasha was forced with the choice of sitting next to either Naraku or Kikyo… it was a matter of who he hated less.

Kikyo it was.

"The reason why Kikyo has called you here today, Inuyasha, is because she has a little job for you." Naraku began.

I've seen your record, Inuyasha." Kikyo turned to the youth beside her. "In all your years, there has never been even one occasion that you've been cornered for murder. Your work is efficient and planned… exactly what I need. I have a job for you that cannot be linked back to me whatsoever. My career depends on it."

"What do you have in mind?" Inuyasha asked casually, already well aware of what she wanted as Naraku had briefed him two days beforehand.

Kikyo opened her portfolio and took out a photograph. "I have a cousin. Still in middle school. She's fifteen and lives at the Higurashi Shrine."

Inuyasha accepted the photo and looked over it to find two girls beaming back at him. One was obviously Kikyo as the smile didn't quite touch her eyes. But the other girl was a several years younger, in her early teens, and smiling like the world was offering her everything she ever needed to be happy. He recognised her instantly as the girl he'd offered a ride to only a few hours ago. Kikyo's arm was cast fondly around the girl's shoulders, holding her close for the photograph.

"I want you to kill her." Kikyo told him bluntly.

Suddenly the photo seemed too much of an abomination, too much of a falsity to look at. Inuyasha let it drop back against the table. "Why?" he asked, equally as blunt.

"It is not your job to ask why." Naraku reminded him.

"It's alright, I don't mind." Kikyo glanced across at the Coalescence leader before turning back to Inuyasha. "I love her dearly, but she's in my way. Our grandmother invented a miracle cream that will conceal practically any kind of disfigurement you can imagine… scars, blemishes, wrinkles, stretch marks, you name it. However, Kagome was the one who managed to get her hands on grandmother's research, and she's managed to crack the perfect formula."

Ahh… it all made sense now. "You're jealous. You want her out of the picture so you can take credit for the formula."

Kikyo smiled tightly. "Exactly. She has the brains to make this work - but she's refused to hand over the research to my company because she thinks it's monopolising our grandmother's dream. You have no idea what kind of breakthrough this cream is. It is _perfect_. If Kagome starts retailing, even selling it as a local salon product, the merchandise will explode and she'll be getting offers of _billions_ from companies like L'Oreal and No.7. Our competitors will profit horrendously and my company Regenis will miss out, just because she went to Grandma's funeral and I didn't."

Inuyasha was beginning to wish he'd chosen to sit next to Naraku instead. "What exactly do you want me to do? Any specific details? Do you want her stabbed by a mugger for her purse? An unlucky victim of a Coalescence terrorist attack? Her shine torched?"

"No. No Coalescence strings." Kikyo shook her head. "Make it look like a mugging. She works at this address on weekdays after school." She handed him an address from her folder. "It's on a pretty empty street. Not exactly the posh end of the district. Get her as she leaves… and make it look-"

"Clumsy?" Inuyasha guessed. "Like a mugger with nothing to lose? How about I brain her with a rock?"

"Perfect." Kikyo folded her hands on the table. "Take her bag. She should be carrying her research with her as I know for a fact that she uses the salon's facilities to work with the formulaic ingredients."

"And what if she doesn't have the research on her?" Inuyasha frowned.

"Then will you be prepared to search the salon and her home for the notes?" Kikyo asked evenly. "You'll know them when you see them. Her notes are in a thick, hardback notebook. It's blue with 'Zero-G' written on the front."

"Zero-G? Why that?" Inuyasha asked.

Kikyo shrugged. "I haven't a clue. But that's what it looks like. Bring me that notebook and I will pay you… nine hundred thousand yen."

"Shit!" Inuyasha exploded. "How much?!"

Naraku sighed. "Kikyo, you're spoiling him. Assassination is only worth ten thousand at the least."

"Nine hundred thousand is nothing compared to the profit that my company will make with this formula." Kikyo told him. "Besides, I want to encourage Inuyasha to do the best job he can."

"You can bet on that!" Inuyasha watched her eagerly. "When do I get the money?"

"When you hand me that notebook and the rock with my cousin's blood on it."

* * *

Next Update: Chapter Two: The Murder 


	3. The Murder

**Author's Notes: **New chapter!

* * *

**Zero-G**

**Chapter Two**

**The Murder**

Kagome Higurashi was exactly where Kikyo had said she would be at six o'clock that evening. Inuyasha parked his bike further up the empty road, directly along the route that the girl would probably take to get home to her shrine. He walked past the salon a few times, checking on the occupants. The first time he went past, there seemed to be no one around, but the second time he strolled by, Kagome was there at the front desk, bent over something she was writing in.

Inuyasha bided his time and kept himself hidden from view down a grimy alley, leaning against the brick wall behind a dumpster. He kept his ears tuned for the sound of the salon door opening… the signal that the girl was on the move.

The rock sitting in the inner pocket of his jacket was weighing down on him considerably and was probably quite obvious to anyone who happened to come across him. Either they'd realise he was carrying a rock in his jacket or they'd assume that he'd been trying on a bra and had forgotten to take one of the chicken fillets out.

Best keep hidden.

Then there it was – the tinkling bell of the salon door. A car drove past the end of the alleyway, but within a few seconds it was gone and Inuyasha moved forward to peer around the corner. The schoolgirl was approaching, her eyes dawdling on something across the street. She wore a long, grey cardigan that reached her calves, and beneath that was the customary middle school uniform complete with the school crest on her breast and cap. Inuyasha's eyes focused on the brown satchel that she carried over one shoulder.

Ducking back into the alley before she saw him, Inuyasha patted the rock under his jacket and wondered if she'd recognise his bike and stop to 'admire' it like she'd done before. He'd been flattered the last time, too, not that he'd shown it.

He kept an eye out and soon enough the girl passed the entrance of the alleyway, her hair bouncing on her shoulders as she walked briskly, while her stiffly folded arms pulled her cardigan tight around her back, displaying a rather flattering figure.

Inuyasha slipped out of the alleyway and shadowed her steps.

Sure enough, the moment she clapped eyes on the bike, she slowed. She changed direction and headed straight for it, stopping beside the vehicle in order to reach out and stroke the panel with the character for 'fire' painted on it.

The street was empty, the girl was unsuspecting, and the timing was perfect. It was now or never.

"Kagome Higurashi." he called out, just on the off chance that some other Kikyo look-alike worked at the same beauty salon.

But when the girl whipped around guiltily, he knew there could be no mistake.

She must have recognised the bike, and him as the rider, because the moments she saw him she breathed, "You…" Expressions of surprise and reproach mingled across her face.

"I seem to recall that you owe me a favour." Inuyasha stated as he moved toward her, the rock seeming to grow heavier with each step. "I think it's about time that I was repaid."

She backed off for every step that he took until he was beside the bike. He set his helmet down on the seat and turned towards her, still scanning the streets from the corner of his eye.

"Repay you?" The girl sounded uncertain. "What would you like? I mean… I don't have any money or… surely I don't really need to repay you. I know I said that I was indebted but I didn't really _mean _it. What on earth do I have that you would want?"

Inuyasha shrugged easily. He wondered for a moment whether he could just demand the research in her bag and then be on his way… but Kikyo wouldn't tolerate that. He had to do this properly. He had to remove Kagome Higurashi from the face of this planet… but he couldn't be to blame. If he didn't do it, it would only be Kouga next who was employed to eliminate her.

Inuyasha gave up trying to justify himself. He withdrew the rock from his pocket. "Let's just start with your life, shall we?"

Her eyes grew wide and her jaw went slack. She stared at him as if he'd just sprouted a scaly tail and a few horns. It was almost endearing, and Inuyasha smiled. He didn't know why. Maybe it was to reassure her, or maybe it was to frighten her. The action seemed to provoke the latter option as that very instant she bolted – or would have done if Inuyasha hadn't caught her by the sleeve.

"**Let go!"** she screamed, trying to wrench herself free. "**Stop it!_"_**

Her screams would carry, and if anyone was within a few hundred metres of their position, they would come running. Inuyasha had to act fast. "Calm down, you're making this difficult." he scolded as he tugged her back towards him. He hesitated for only a fraction of a moment before lifting the rock and bringing it down on her head. He had hoped that she'd continue to keep turned away, but at the last moment she looked round at him… and Inuyasha saw every flash of pain that crossed her face.

He let go of her quickly, and the girl stumbled to her knees, concussed. Blood was already beginning to trickle down her forehead from her hairline, and the school satchel she'd been carrying lay unguarded on the pavement at Inuyasha's feet. He looked at the rock in his fist, noting the blood speckling the uneven surface.

He had everything he needed.

The schoolgirl was still trying to crawl away, but already he could see that she wouldn't make it to sanctuary. He could leave now and let her die the cowardly way… or he could hit her again and shatter her skull to make it quick.

Or…

Inuyasha went after her and leant down to catch hold of her neck. Suddenly she went limp and fell forward onto her front, apparently giving up. Inuyasha rolled her over, but her eyes had already closed and she was gone.

* * *

Kikyo didn't bat an eyelid as the bloodied rock smashed against the desk before her, followed by a blue notepad.

"There." Inuyasha folded his arms, his voice wavering with suppressed anger or some other emotion. "There's your freaking rock and your miracle formula. I hope you're happy now."

"Extremely." Kikyo ignored the rock and grabbed the notepad straight away, opening it to a random page and beginning to read through the contents. "Amazing…"

Naraku looked over his tented fingers at the hanyou. "You sound upset, Inuyasha. Did this one strike a little too close to a nerve?"

Inuyasha bristled. "I've never… never done that to someone as young as this." He'd never killed anyone younger than himself. It seemed far more heinous than normal.

"Well, don't expect her to be the last." Naraku warned. "I hear the chief of police has a daughter about Kagome's age…"

Inuyasha shot a fierce glare at his boss who smiled blandly in response.

"You _did _kill her, didn't you?" Kikyo looked up from the notepad.

"Of course I did!" Inuyasha snapped at her. "That's the proof right there! She died on the street, and I took her body and dumped it in the canal."

Kikyo sat up. "That wasn't the deal," she said coldly. "You were to leave her there on the street and take only the bag and the murder weapon with you!"

"Plans changed." Inuyasha told her frostily. "She screamed for help, so I had to move the body or anyone who had heard her scream and seen my bike would have made the connection. Don't worry. Someone will fish the body out in a few days."

"You are certain she was dead?" Kikyo narrowed her eyes. "If she survives and lives to tell then I'll take you down with me."

"Likewise." Inuyasha smirked. "But I highly doubt that. She wasn't breathing when she went in the water… I doubt she'll be breathing when she gets out."

Kikyo sighed. "And did you really have to tell me where you dumped the body? Now I'll have to put up with my family worrying about her disappearance whilst knowing exactly what's happened to her but being unable to tell anyone or risk incriminating myself."

Inuyasha shrugged. "Your problem, not mine." He held out his hand. "Now I want my money."

"Of course. But I want a full refund if any serious complications arise." She pulled her briefcase onto the desk and snapped it open. From inside, she took a thick white envelope and passed it into Inuyasha's waiting hands. "Nine hundred thousand as promised."

The young beauty analyst stood and straightened her clothes before packing the notepad securely into her briefcase. "In which case, gentlemen, I'll be on my way. This transaction never took place and I don't know either one of you exist."

"Naturally. Pleasure to do business." Naraku told her humbly.

"What business?" Kikyo gave him a meaningful look as she closed her briefcase and made for the door. "I hope we never have to meet again, Inuyasha."

Inuyasha glowered as the door closed after her. He glanced down at the money-filled envelope in his fist and then up at Naraku. "What do I spend it on…?"

"My birthday's coming up." Naraku slid in casually with a waggled eyebrow.

* * *

Mrs Higurashi unwittingly shredded another tissue as she stared off into space through the kitchen window. Her father sat beside her, his warm hand resting on her shoulder, but Mrs Higurashi was miles away.

Her little girl was missing… and had been for the last three days. She was out there somewhere, in trouble, and all she could do was sit in her kitchen and tear a tissue into confetti.

"Mrs Higurashi," The inspector standing beside the sink looked over her sympathetically. "Can you think of any reason why Kagome might have run away?"

Mrs Higurashi shook her head firmly, loosening a few tears. "She's not run away. She was a happy girl… she never gave any indication that she was unhappy here."

"When exactly was the last time you saw your daughter?" the inspector asked as he jotted something down on his notepad.

Mrs Higurashi pressed two fingers to her temple and wondered how many times that she would have to explain this. "Wednesday morning, officer." she told him. "She was leaving for school… and I gave her some money for her dinner and kissed her on the cheek and told her to 'take care'." Her voice broke on the last word.

"So you didn't argue about anything?" he pressed.

The mother shook her head. "I never argue with Kagome. I never have to… she's a good girl."

With a deep sigh, the police inspector closed his jotter and pocketed his pen. "Mrs Higurashi, from what you're saying, it is highly unlikely that your daughter has run away…"

Mrs Higurashi didn't trust herself to open her mouth. Her lips were trembling and the tears were fighting for release…

"Taking into consideration that you've had no contact or communication with your daughter for over three days… it might be time to face the fact that your daughter may be in serious trouble." he told her. "Outside the salon where your daughter was last seen, we found some traces of blood which we're having tested with our forensic department. We may need a sample of your blood, Mrs Higurashi, to compare the DNA results and determine whether or not this is your daughter's blood we've found."

The woman nodded jerkily, a fresh tissue pressed against her mouth.

For the first time since the inspector had arrived, Kagome's grandpa spoke up, mostly for his daughter since she seemed unable to speak now. "Inspector, what do you think has happened to my granddaughter?"

The man shifted uncomfortably. "Well, we can't be certain right now…"

"I've seen the st-statistics." Mrs Higurashi began shakily. "Eighty percent of all missing people are usually d-dead somewhere…"

"But that's only among those that are missing for a great period of time." The inspector reassured her. "It's only been three days, and the vast majority of missing people are found around the five day marker."

Mrs Higurashi returned her face to her hands, shaking her head as if she still didn't quite believe that this was happening.

The thick atmosphere of misery was sliced by the sound of the inspector's radio going off. The device crackled and hissed, and an unintelligible voice muttered something on the other end. However, the inspector seemed to understand every single word. "Excuse me," He bowed to them both. "I'm needed outside."

The police officer left the small kitchen to join his men. Mrs Higurashi turned to her father in distress. "Why can't they find her? What's happened to her?" she whispered, as if expecting the older man to know the answers.

He just shook his head. "I'm sorry, dear… we'll just have to wait and hope…"

"But she could have been abducted!" Mrs Higurashi lost control of the sob she'd been trying to suppress. "She could be lost and I can't get to her."

The clicking of stilettos on the hallway floorboards made the distraught pair look up in time to see Kikyo come sailing through the kitchen door. "Auntie Mai!" She looked pale and wan as she threw herself into her aunt's arms. "I drove down as soon as you told me what happened. Is there any news yet?"

"She's still missing." Mrs Higurashi conceded. "Th-they think they might have found her blood on the street where she works…"

"Oh god…" Kikyo stroked her aunt's hair as they sat down. "Don't worry. I'm sure she'll turn up. This is Kagome, after all… she's too _stubborn _to allow anything to happen to her."

"I hope you're right." Grandpa handed Mrs Higurashi a new tissue, and she blew her nose thoroughly. "I really hope you're…"

She trailed off as the inspector appeared in the doorway again. Judging by the expression on his face, he didn't seem to be bringing good news… and instantly, Mrs Higurashi felt the tears rise again.

"We had a team combing the canal…" he told them slowly, a tentative tone in his voice. "They've found something."

* * *

Kagome had one hell of a splitting headache when she woke up. The pain was so severe that she wished she'd simply remained asleep. Too late now… she'd have to get up and take some aspirin.

A sweet smell filled her bedroom… something mouth-watering like roast chicken and gravy. Kagome smiled to herself to think that her mother was probably preparing something wonderful for breakfast. She moved to get up, but her arms caught on something. She tugged again and heard a metallic clatter, but her arms still wouldn't lift.

Her eyes snapped open and the headache instantly intensified thanks to the blinding light that was shining above her. She grimaced and squinted at her wrists, trying to determine why she couldn't move them. It took a few more moments before her eyes gained enough focus to see that it was actually a pair of handcuffs.

"M-Mama?!" Kagome called out in growing panic, but her voice sounded strange… raw and thick. She looked around the room and her distress only increased. This _wasn't _her bedroom! This wasn't even her bed!

Grey, unpainted plaster walls surrounded her on four sides, and all sorts of junk crowded the floor. The bed was hard and lumpy and didn't even have a blanket to its name, and Kagome's cuffed wrists clattered noisily against the bed rail to which she was tied.

With a great deal of effort, Kagome began to sit up. It didn't help that her head swam dangerously and the pain in her head seemed to go deeper into her skull, but she couldn't lie still. She was too terrified. Blood stained the towel that had been serving her as a pillow, and someone had taken away her shoes and cardigan.

Presumably, that same someone was the one banging around the kitchen downstairs. Kagome looked towards the door and saw it was ajar. A series of steps led out of sight… and that was where the delicious smell was emanating.

But Kagome didn't feel hungry anymore. She felt sick. Scared sick. She couldn't remember what had happened to her, why she had woken up here of all places when the last thing she remembered was going to bed on Tuesday night. Why was she handcuffed to a stranger's bed? How had she gotten here?

_Why didn't she remember?_

The last question she could answer almost certainly. Her brain hurt, and when she carefully lowered her head to touch her scalp with her fingers, she felt a matted clod of hair beneath a raised welt on her skull. It was tender and painful to touch, but from that she could piece together that she'd has a severe head injury… and it had knocked her memory loose.

_I'm Kagome Higurashi, I'm fifteen, I live at the Shrine with Buyo and Souta and Mama and Grandpa and I work at 'Curl up and Dye' and I go to school with Yuka, Eri and Ayumi…_

Well, it seemed as if her memory was still more or less intact. But of course, she wouldn't remember if she'd forgotten any extra details.

A door closed downstairs and Kagome flinched anxiously on the bed. She wanted to run and hide… especially when she heard footsteps climbing the steps, but with her hands securely fastened, she wasn't going anywhere.

She wasn't at all surprised when hot tears began running down her cheeks. She didn't snivel or sob, but a lump had lodged in her throat and she couldn't take her eyes off that bedroom door.

The next moment, someone entered the room. Kagome's gaze jerked instantly to their face and she paled… more so, if that was possible. A stranger. In his late teens to mid-twenties, perhaps. His hair was long and perfectly bleached… and his eyes seemed to be a fair shade of hazel. Then he got closer and she could almost say they were yellow… like an animal's.

Everything about him screamed '_demon_', and everyone knew that demons were all allied with the Coalescence…

But in his hands he carried a plain bowl of steaming chicken soup, and when he reached the bed, he pulled up a chair and sat down. "Hungry?" he asked. He had a nice voice… but it seemed detached. In fact, _he _seemed detached, like he'd rather be somewhere else.

Kagome shook her head in answer to his question.

"But you haven't eaten in three days." he told her dully as he stirred the soup with a spoon. Waves of delicious smells washed over Kagome. "If you don't eat soon, you'll wither away."

Kagome did her best to ignore the food as she stared at his face. She noticed the shadow of a bruise under his right eye and a tiny scar indenting the skin above his left eyebrow. "Who are you?" she asked quietly.

"You don't remember?" He tilted his head slightly. "I'm the one who saved you."

"Saved me…" Kagome echoed, confused.

"Here, take a sip." He held the spoon close to her lips.

"How do I know it's not poisoned?" Kagome seriously doubted this possibility, but it's what they always asked in the movies. It was usually followed by-

"Then I'll take the first sip." He shrugged and downed the spoonful of soup. He smacked his lips. "Mmmm. Yum. Now you try." He scooped the spoon back into the soup.

Kagome's gaze narrowed on the spoon with disdain. "I'm not having that." she said shortly.

"Why not?" he asked.

"You've put your mouth on it."

He gave her a blank look, and the next thing Kagome knew, the spoon was being jammed into her mouth. She gagged and swallowed in reflex, then gaped at the young man as he spooned the next round. "Good?" he asked.

"If I get ill…" Kagome warned.

"I'm sure you won't." he smirked. "Did you like the soup?"

Kagome conceded a little. "It was alright… quite tasty, I suppose."

"You suppose." he repeated, stirring the soup again. "Want another taste?"

Kagome shook her head, but when he pushed the spoon against her lips, she decided to stop fighting it and swallowed greedily. Each mouthful seemed to revive her appetite rather than quenching it, but she felt the awkwardness that came with being fed by a complete stranger while her hands were tied to a bed rail.

"I'd enjoy this soup a lot more if my hands were free." she told him.

"Of course you would. Now here comes the train! Choo, choo, choo…" He fed her another spoonful.

Kagome's unexpected burst of laughter had the soup cascading down her school sweater, but she didn't much care. If the sweater had been any other colour than black, she would have been showing off hundreds of old stains by now.

"Now look what you did." He didn't sound particularly angry as he set the bowl down on the floor and reached over to snag her pillow towel. She caught sight of the brown bloodstain before he folded it deftly away and began dabbing at her sweater with it. Once again, she felt discomfort with the unfamiliarity of the situation and the person cleaning soup off her sleeve. But he seemed so businesslike and impartial that when he passed the towel over her chest and belly, she didn't squeak a word of protest. She would feel too prudish to do so…

She watched him as he began dashing at the soup that had spilt on the mattress beside her knee. "Who are you?" she asked again. "What's your name?"

"Most people call me Inokku Yoshikawa." he told her.

The name meant nothing to Kagome. She'd never heard it before.

"But… you can call me Inuyasha." He tossed the towel over his shoulder.

"Inuyasha…" She watched the towel sail through the air to land on a stack of old magazines and a tennis racket. "That sounds like a gang name… or a demon's name."

He shrugged as he picked up the bowl again. "You think I'm a demon?"

"Well, aren't you?" He gagged her with another spoon in the mouth.

"Yes and no."

"Whack king ov anssa iz dat?" Kagome said around the spoon.

"What?" He removed the gagging device.

"What kind of answer is that?"

"I'm a hanyou."

"Oh…" Kagome still wasn't sure what that meant. "Do you mean… like… like half youkai and half…?"

"Human."

That was surprisingly relieving. Kagome felt safer knowing that she was with half a human. It was still not that comforting to know she was also with half a demon. Time to press on with the other million questions that were plaguing her sore head. "What happened to me?"

He didn't answer for a while, and she had two more sips of chicken soup before he spoke again. "You were attacked… mugged." he said quietly, more content to watch himself stir the soup than meet her eyes. "I brought you back here to treat you."

Kagome frowned. "I should have gone to hospital."

He shook his head once. "That was out of the question."

"Why?" What was going on?

Inuyasha looked towards the door, as if he'd heard something or was just looking for an escape. "I can't answer that right now…"

"Is that why I'm handcuffed to this bed?" she demanded. "What do you want from me? Are you holding me prisoner or something?"

"No…"

"Then please let me go home." she pleaded. "If I've been gone for three days like you've said, my family will be worried. I have to get back to them and let them know I'm-"

"You can't do that." he told her coarsely. "You have to stay here. You're safe here."

Kagome swallowed hard. Was he crazy? Had he been the one to hit her on the head and kidnap her? He didn't seem all that insane… but sometimes the nutters didn't until it was too late. "Please…" she said in a low, forceful voice. "I want to go home. My family will be worried and if I miss more than six days of school then I'll be expelled."

He looked up at her, almost in pity, but mostly in set determination. "Kagome, you're in trouble. Serious trouble." He touched a hand to her head, but not hard enough to hurt. "The people that did this to you… they're not going to stop till they have your life. The only reason you're alive today is because they think you're dead."

"What…?" she breathed. "Wait – how did you know my name?"

"You have to stay hidden in this place until a time when…" He broke off as something began beeping in the pocket of his jeans. Kagome watched as he pulled his phone out and stood to answer. "What is it?"

An awfully curt way to answer the phone…

"Yeah… fine, go ahead… twelfth street, sixth block… got it…"

Kagome leant towards him. "Hey, who's-"

He whipped around and clamped a hand against her mouth. Pain shot through her head and her eyes spun dizzily.

"No one… that was just Soa." Inuyasha was saying into his phone. "You know what a chatterbox she is. Anyway, you were saying? Ok… yes, I got it. _Yes_… Miroku Hoshi, twelfth avenue, sixth block, Decker's Studios, five-thirty. I got it already… I heard you the freakin' first time."

He hung up quickly and released Kagome's mouth. "I have to go to work."

"And leave me here?" Kagome squeaked. "Can't you at least free these cuffs so I can go to the bathroom?" _And then out the bathroom window…_

"No. You'll escape out the bathroom window if I did that." He shook his head.

"Perceptive bugger, aren't you…?"

He looked around the room for a moment before walking off to fetch a pale beige bucket. When he saw Kagome's bemused look, he pointed at it. "If you need to go, go in that."

Kagome's mouth dropped open as her eyes popped wide. "You have _got _to be joking!" she hissed. "I'm not going in a bucket! I'd rather wet myself!"

"No, you wouldn't." He kicked it closer to the bed. "Besides, I won't be long. Maybe an hour or two. You can hold it till then, but if you can't…"

Kagome made a disgusted noise in her throat.

"Look, I'll even put the TV on for you." He marched over to a small box that Kagome hadn't previously noticed. It turned out to be a television set, albeit a small one that only broadcast in black and white.

"Are you living in the stone age or something?" she criticised. "There is a thing such as colour television."

"And I don't have a license for it." He shrugged simply as he tuned the set with ancient knobs. "You're fifteen, right? You kids like the music channel, don't you?"

"No."

"Well, too bad, I don't have time to retune it now."

"-_All my friends go 'wow' when they all see just how, our shoes co-or-din-ate-_"

"Oh gods no… kill me, please…" Kagome groaned.

"-_with my plate-_"

Inuyasha was already steaming down the stairs. "See you in a few hours."

"-'_cause I'm a good girl and it's cool, ooh yeah, I'm cool girl, ooh baby, baby-_"

And so the madness began.

* * *

The bike had been left in an alley two streets away so as not to arouse suspicion, and immediately, Inuyasha set to work scouting the area around the studio for a way in. The main entrance was guarded by security and there were at least three fire exits – probably wired – so Inuyasha stayed clear of all of them. The only way into the building seemed to be through a small window set into the back of the building. It was too high to jump… but only for an incompetent human.

With one quick look around the alley to check that he was alone, Inuyasha scaled the wall in one bound and clapped his finders around the windowsill. He levered himself up just enough to peer inside.

A changing room.

A women's changing room, judging by the amount of bras hanging around. Fortunately it was empty at that moment in time, so Inuyasha gave the window one hard shove to break the latch and slid noiselessly inside.

His feet touched the top of a stack of lockers with a soft '_clunk' _and at that very moment, he heard the sound of female laughter and running water coming from an adjoining room.

Great. A women's shower room, too.

Inuyasha hopped down to the floor just in time for one of the women, having finished her shower, to return to the changing room.

Her shriek had all the other women running, and soon Inuyasha found himself faced with half a dozen or so rather wet, rather angry, semi-naked women with towels. If the door hadn't been so close to them, Inuyasha would have tried to make a run for it.

"What are you doing here?!" they seemed to shout in unison, each one of them red-faced with anger.

"I'm looking for Keiko!" he shouted back, Keiko being a nice common name. "She's my girlfriend!"

"Keiko hasn't worked here in weeks!" they shouted back. "She got a contract with ABS!"

"Never mind then!" He inched towards the door. "Thanks anyway!"

"Our pleasure!"

The door slammed in his wake, and Inuyasha found himself thrust into a rather busy corridor. All kinds of people strode past him, from amazingly dressed up women in feathers to people with clipboards and cups of coffee.

"Erika! Where's Erika?!"

"They're about to start shooting!"

"Don't step on that – do you have any idea how much it cost?!"

"Don't mess with the glue, darling…"

"Miroku Hoshi wants coffee in his dressing room, asap…"

Inuyasha's attention suddenly focused on the rather put-upon looking gofer that had just been assigned coffee duty. Quickly, Inuyasha began moving towards him, dodging between actors, actresses, and stagehands.

"Why do I get all the dirty work…" the kid was muttering at the espresso machine when Inuyasha reached him.

Flourishing the boy aside as if in the midst of a generous offer, Inuyasha took the coffee cup off him. "Don't worry. You just continue with whatever you were doing. I'll deal with the coffee."

"Really?" The boy looked relieved, but slightly cautious. "Are you sure?"

"It's my job to do the dirty work." Inuyasha brushed him off. "Which way's his dressing room?"

"That way." The youth pointed. "And thanks. That guy can be a total pain when he's depressed. He always sends me back for another cup…"

"No problem." Inuyasha followed the kid's directions and wandered along the corridor, checking each door for his victim's name.

He found it, complete with the tacky gold star plating. Inuyasha took a sip of the coffee and knocked three times. "Room service!" he called.

A loud sigh could be heard. "Come in."

Inuyasha let himself in and looked around. It was a typical dressing room for a second-rate actor, complete with a couch, a rack of 'costumes' and a large dressing table with mirror and light bulbs. Miroku Hoshi, lead actor for "Life's Treasures", was sitting at said table, poking a make-up brush against his forehead in a bored manner. His eyes flicked towards Inuyasha through the mirror. "What is it?"

"Coffee." Inuyasha moved forward to set the cup down on the dresser.

"Oh, good. More caffeine." he said with as much enthusiasm as a man on death row. He took the polystyrene cup and knocked back a gulp before pulling a drastic face. "It's too strong. Go back and get me some milk."

Inuyasha rolled his eyes. "Do it your bleeding self." he muttered as he poked something which looked oddly like a feather boa.

Miroku, seemingly just cottoning on to the fact that this was no ordinary coffee boy, turned in his seat to face Inuyasha. "Just who do you think you are, speaking to me like that-"

"Just a badly paid assassin." he answered simply, drifting his fingers through the feathers.

Miroku stared at him, and for a moment he seemed about to dismiss this admission as nonsense. Then he stopped himself… and began looking resigned. "This is about my father, isn't it?"

"He's one of the leading police officers working on tracking down members of the Coalescence, isn't he?" Inuyasha skewed a glance at the actor.

"Yes."

A slow, dark smile spread across Inuyasha's face as he tugged the feather boa off its hook. It was strong… strong enough to bear the weight of a grown man and long enough to attach to the rafter across the ceiling. "Good. I need to send him a message…"

* * *

Kagome's stomach rumbled loudly as she lay on the hard mattress, staring up at the ceiling fan. It turned slowly, squeaking rhythmically with every rotation, but it was better listening to that than the dribble echoing from the television set.

At some point in the past few years, pop music had just degenerated into suggestive conformity. The record labels were all owned by the government, a takeover that had occurred rather secretly, and now the only way to sell a song was if it contained some kind of government message.

"_-Kids should stay in school, 'coz it's the right thing to do-oo-ooo-ooo-"_

But what was the point? No one ever really listened to the lyrics of a song. There were probably hundreds of kids right at that moment who were tuned in to the same channel as Kagome, all of them bopping their heads to the music as subliminal messaging crawled into their brains.

"-_My boyfriend is the best, we never bite the zest, we're waiting for the wedding to make it to third base-_"

Kagome sighed and rolled her head to the side to stare at the opposite wall. She tuned the music out of her mind and wondered about her family and friends. If it had been three days like 'Inuyasha' had said, then were they worried about her? Were they sending out search parties to find her? Or… what if this guy had been telling the truth, and she was in serious trouble and everyone thought she was dead?

Kagome dismissed this as nonsense in an instant. She was a nobody. She'd never offended anyone in her life and she made it a habit to avoid anything that spelt trouble. What could anyone possibly have against her? She was just a schoolgirl with a part time job, a family that she loved to bits and friends she would do anything for. Why would anyone want to kill her?

This left only one explanation: Inuyasha was bonkers. He'd brained her and kidnapped her and was feeding her some insane cover story to try and fool her. But what did he want from her? Why had he brought her here if he wanted to do nothing more than feed her chicken soup? Did he have something else planned? Was he –gulp- a pervert of some kind that would have his way with her once she was off-guard?

Everything was so confusing… Kagome just wished that she could remember what had happened to her.

The godforsaken music finally stopped and Kagome gasped a sigh of relief. She turned her head as the news came on and listened as the newsreader told her about the unanimous 'yes' vote for television and movie stars to start abiding to the uniform laws. This movement went hand in hand with the vote to ban foreign movies from being shown in cinemas.

Then there was some news about a bomb that had gone off in a shopping centre. Part of the roof had caved in, and twenty people were said to have died with over a hundred injured in varying degrees. The newsreader informed that the police suspected Coalescence involvement.

"And finally, the body of the missing schoolgirl Kagome Higurashi has been recovered by police."

Kagome's heart skipped and thudded against her chest.

"Police found the body while combing the canal bed after fearing the worst. It is thought that the fifteen year old was attacked by her assailant a hundred metres away from the salon where she worked, and her body was dumped in the canal the same night. Her clothes and belongings were missing."

"Oh my god…" Kagome sat up hastily. That man on the television was talking about her! But she wasn't dead!

There was a picture of herself in the corner of the screen, and Kagome recognised it as the one that sat on the fridge next to Souta's. It was a school picture, the one where she'd been having a zit day when it was taken – which, fortunately, the picture didn't show. But a sharp pang of familiarity and strangeness struck her. The last place Kagome expected that picture to ever show up was on the six o'clock news.

The newsreader went on. "Kikyo Higurashi, cousin to Kagome Higurashi and owner of Regenis Cosmetics, had this to say…"

The feed cut to outdoors, and Kagome was shocked to realise that the background was her family's shrine. Kikyo stood before the camera, shakily holding a piece of paper that she was reading from while mascara tearstains tracked down her cheeks. There were a lot of cameras and microphones around the young woman, not something that Kikyo was unused to, but today she seemed overwhelmed.

"The loss of my cousin, Kagome, has hit us all very hard." Kagome heard her say in an unsteady voice. "It's a loss that I fear our family will feel for a long time to come. Kagome was at the heart of this family… she was a good, kind girl with a beautiful soul. She was bright, smart, and popular, and never without a smile, even during the difficulties that our family has endured. Her innate happiness and good nature brought out the best in all of us, and she helped us through hard times… and I only hope that she can help us through this heartbreaking time from whatever place her soul rests now."

Kikyo was crying. She was honest-to-god crying. Kagome's heart ached to think of the pain she was causing Kikyo and the rest of her family. She wished she could go to them right then and tell them that everything was ok and that she was alive and well. She _would _get back to them… she didn't want her family to cry when there really was no need.

"Our message to the person who took Kagome from us and created this void in our family…" Kikyo went on shakily. "Is to know the grief he has caused and the pain that will never leave our hearts. We want him to see the devastation he has caused and know that he cannot hide forever. The law will find him, and he will pay dearly for what he did to my beloved cousin."

Kagome blinked as Kikyo vanished and the newsroom reappeared. The man on screen took a moment before starting to read from the auto-cue again. "In other news, a pigeon trapped in a car fender had the whole community out trying to help him free…"

Great, the joke news.

Kagome turned her eyes away and gazed at the floor instead. She tried to piece together what had happened to her from what information the news had given her… but she still came to the same conclusion as before. Inuyasha had kidnapped her and somehow faked her death.

But if Kagome was alive and well here… then who had been fished out of the canal? Why did the police think it was her? Why did her _family _think it was her? Surely they would have been asked to identify the body…

"I don't understand…" Kagome whispered as she lay back down on the bed and curled up. "Why is this happening to me…?"

* * *

**Next Update**: Chapter Three: The Escape Attempt 


	4. The Attempted Escape

**Author****'s Notes: **Some FAQ at the end of the chapter….

**Zero-G**

**Chapter Three**

**The Escape Attempt**

Inuyasha kicked the front door shut with his foot and moved forward to dump the brown bag of groceries on the kitchen table. He looked around with a sigh and realised, not for the first time, that he could probably do with better accommodations. This flat had only three rooms: the bathroom and kitchen downstairs and the bedroom upstairs. Not exactly a glamorous location either, being in the middle of the district council estate where all the teenage mothers and drug dealers liked to live. If Inuyasha didn't drag his bike into the foyer every night, he'd have to buy a new set of tyres the next morning for each pair that got stolen. But thanks to the money that Kikyo had given him, he could afford a _very_ nice little apartment by the riverside…

Although, the last thing he needed to do was draw attention to himself, especially when his life depended on being invisible. (This, however, did not stretch to the flashy motorbike. You only had to be invisible whilst on a job.) Plus, this would mean moving the girl from here to a new apartment… and that could be tricky.

First of all, he needed her to understand what kind of trouble she was in and just who exactly she couldn't trust. But that was easier said than done. Young girls didn't automatically trust the men who kidnapped them.

Inuyasha was just setting his keys down next to the groceries when the door swung open behind him. Instantly, Inuyasha was on high alert and he spun around, ready to face his attacker. His fists dropped somewhat, when instead of an attacker he found…

"Kikyo?"

But Kikyo did not look like a happy beauty analyst.

"_What did you do_?!" she seethed in a low and dangerous voice as she advanced towards him.

_More like what **didn**_**_'t _**_I do__…_ Inuyasha backed hastily around the kitchen table to put some kind of obstacle between him and the angry young woman. It was just as he'd dreaded… she'd found out and now she was out for blood. Whether it was his or Kagome's, he wasn't sure yet. "Is something the matter, Kikyo-kun?" He tried his best to aim for polite innocence, but he knew that his manners were usually the first clue that he was lying about something.

Or just being patronising.

"You are despicable – you know that?!" she ranted as she tried to move round the table to approach him.

Inuyasha skirted the opposite way to maintain the distance. "Yes, I'm well aware of that fact. Want to tell me something I _don__'t _know?"

"You're impossible!" She stopped and slammed her hands down on the table, making his grocery bag topple over. "How could you do this to her?"

Inuyasha picked up an apple that had rolled his way. "What do you mean?" He polished the fruit on his shirt and took a bite.

"You shredded her face! You removed all her clothes! It wouldn't surprise me at this point if it came to light that you raped her!" Kikyo hissed.

Inuyasha paused. "Oh…" he said slowly, staring off into the distance. But then after a moment, he took another carefree bite of his apple. "You mean _that_."

Kikyo ground her teeth. "Yes, I mean _that_."

Inuyasha gave a short, derisive laugh. "Don't tell me you grew a heart. And don't come whining to me that I raped her when you yourself didn't care whether she lived or died."

"Inuyasha – if they find any of your DNA on her body, they'll be sure to link me to this mess-"

"Oh, so _that__'s _what you're pissed about!" he interrupted, much more relieved to find Kikyo's character was still as irrepressible as ever. "You're worried about the police catching me in case I blab about our deal."

Kikyo's fists clenched and unclenched sporadically against the table. She watched him with a wary kind of fury, ready to unleash it at any given moment if he said the wrong thing. Inuyasha smirked and set the apple down between them. "In that case, you don't have to worry, my dear Kikyo. I'd never sell you out. Not to anybody. You know you're too special to me."

Some of the anger left her eyes, but the suspicion remained. "How can I be sure? You're not exactly trustworthy."

"I could say the same for you." He stalked around the table towards her, but she held her ground. "But that's not the issue. You know very well that I wouldn't even dream of letting the police catch me. And you also know that our little secrets… _remain _little secrets…"

He was very close to her now - close enough to catch a full taste of her perfume, to see the mascara layering her eyelashes, and the way her painted lower lip stuck out in a slight pout as if something terribly unfair was happening to her.

"You never told Naraku, did you?" she said, and her pout seemed audible as well.

Inuyasha's smile was sinister as he encircled her wrists with his fingers. "Not a word. And neither did you."

"No." she agreed, watching his mouth in a rather pointed way.

"See? We're both very good at keeping our secrets." he mused, leaning forward until his lips brushed against hers, lightly, but teasingly.

"You're a sick man." she told him with conviction, but didn't bother to pull herself away.

"That's what you love about me." he reminded, releasing her wrists to slide his hands up her shoulders and along her neck.

"Filthy…" she breathed as his lips tapped hers again. "What you did to my cousin…"

"I was thinking of you the entire time." he whispered against her lips.

This was usually the point where she'd push him away and give him the lecture about 'being too good' for him. Something about moving on, involving circles, oblongs, and other shapes that he never really understood, but today Kikyo surprised him.

Her hands seized the back of his head and tugged him down to press their lips together, ending the torment between them. Now he could taste the lipstick on her mouth and even smell the 'scentless' foundation smothering her skin. Admittedly, Kikyo was a very attractive young woman, but she was far more beautiful out of make-up. He sometimes wondered if the face paint was some kind of defence… some way of shielding herself and her insecurity from the rest of the world.

But then Inuyasha remembered that Kikyo had not a single soft bone in her body, and within her chest beat a heart of stone. She wasn't insecure or lacking in confidence… she was just vain and greedy.

He hated her with a loathing that rose from the bile of his stomach, but when she kissed him like this, it was easy to forget the damage they could cause together. The pain and hurt that they inevitably caused each other.

Her nails scored across his jaw, making raised welts in their wake. She was always rather careless when she was with him… never with anyone else, and he knew this for a fact. The pain and inflictions were only reserved for him, because each bruise, welt and scratch had a point-

He didn't deserve any better.

Suddenly Kikyo's lips were gone, replaced by one long finger. He opened his eyes and saw her stepping out of his arms with a coy, yet vaguely frazzled look. "I don't think so… we both know what happens when we enter this vicious circle." Her voice was low and throaty as she backed away further, dropping her finger. "It's a self-destructive loop that we can both do without. Besides…" She flicked a stray lock of hair back over her shoulder. "I'm earning millions every week with Regenis. I can do far better than I've done in the past." She flicked an unsubtle glance over him before moving across to the door. Inuyasha watched her blankly, though he knew that his lack of quips or sniping retorts gave her the impression that she had won this little battle in their ongoing war.

Actually, he'd just realised that there was a concussed fifteen year old girl tied up on his bed at that very moment while he was getting busy with the cousin who'd tried to have her killed off. He'd always thought that _maybe _he had some class as a killer… but really, he was just the average seedy bum.

Then again, Kikyo's visits always seemed to leave a black mark on his self-esteem.

Said beauty analyst was primping and tugging her clothes straight as if recovering from a rendezvous with a lover, when in actual fact it had been more like a skirmish between close enemies. "I'll see you around… Inuyasha." His name rolled off her tongue like it was the most delicious word she knew…

Just another taunt.

The door closed after her and Inuyasha stared at it a moment before picking up the half eaten apple and hurling it at the wooden panel. "Fucked up _bitch!__"_ he snarled as the fruit hit the door with a thump and a splattering of apple flesh and juice.

Kikyo's tinkling laughter haunted him as it faded away down the hall.

For a moment, Inuyasha didn't know what to do with himself. Torn between the urge to run after her and scream at her more – or kiss her more – and the need to tear something up and smash it to pieces, Inuyasha just stood, feeling his palms begin to itch.

Kikyo had been here for over five minutes – far too risky to try again in the near future. Who was to say that the next time she walked in, she would realise Kagome was there as well? If anyone ever discovered that he hadn't completed his job, his life would be over. He wasn't the only paid-to-kill man in the business, and he might not even be the best. The moment the Coalescence ever doubted his absolute loyalty, they would string him up by his intestines as an example to any other cell agents who thought of double-crossing their boss.

Not for the first time, Inuyasha wondered if he'd done the right thing. He plodded up the stairs, dragging his bag of groceries and a kitchen knife. Was saving this one girl's life going to be worth it in the end? Was she just going to be killed later rather than sooner? And was he going to die alongside her as a result?

He sat down on his chair beside her bed, not caring to keep the noise to a minimum as her concussion seemed to have made her a heavy sleeper. She hadn't even roused during his loud conversation with Kikyo… which was probably a good thing. She slept like an angel… with her mouth agape and a damp patch of drool on the mattress beneath her head, so perhaps she was more like a drunken angel recovering from a late night bender.

_It would be so easy__… _Inuyasha thought as he drew the kitchen knife towards her throat, _to just end this madness here and now__…_

It would only take one slice and she'd be dead without ever waking up to feel the pain. He could take her down to Coalescence headquarters and use one of the unguarded vats of acid to do away with her body. Even if he met other agents and employees on the way, they wouldn't ask questions… especially if he wrapped her up in a sheet to make sure no one saw her face. Everyone did a little 'extra curriculum' murder every now and then. Sometimes it was unavoidable. People who found out too much… cops that got in the way… they all disappeared quietly.

No one would be any the wiser, and the secret of Kagome's extra lease of life would be a secret that died with him.

Then she stirred quietly as she began to wake up, and Inuyasha whipped the knife away from her neck to resume peeling an apple.

When Kagome opened her drowsy eyes, this was how she saw him. For a moment she was horrified, trying to remember who he was, and where they were… but then the memory returned in a flood and she realised that she was still this nutcase's prisoner.

Impressively, Kagome remained calm and simply watched him peel the apple. He occasionally popped an extra bit of apple peel into his mouth and chewed slowly as he divided up the apple into equal sections. When he was finished, his steady gaze met hers. "Want some apple?" he offered.

"No." Kagome told him.

He just shrugged. With a heavy sigh, he propped his booted feet up onto the bed rail in slow deliberation, one after the other, right above Kagome's head. She glanced nervously at his feet as he leant back in his chair with a creaky groan of old wood. That was it. He didn't pursue the subject of apples and simply stared off into space like he was on an entirely different planet.

"What I want," Kagome said after a while, "is to go home."

He picked at something between his teeth with the nail of his little finger. "No can do."

The room fell quiet again as Kagome mulled over his rejection and Inuyasha inspected his nails from a distance. Once again, Kagome had to chase the conversation back on track. "Why can't you do it? Why can't you just let me go? I promise I won't tell anyone that you kidnapped me – not even my family-"

"One: I haven't kidnapped you. I've saved your life. And two: you would tell everyone and everything that sits still long enough to listen, you little fibber." he murmured in a bored manner.

Kagome wondered how it was possible to reason with a madman. "Ok… thank you for saving me the way you did. It was very kind of you and you did a wonderful job. But I can look after myself now, so if you'd just open these cuffs and let me go, I'll…"

"I'm not an idiot, and I'm not crazy." He rolled his head to the side as if working out a kink in his neck. "You're staying here and that's final."

"But I don't _want _to stay here." Kagome argued.

"And I don't care." He began cracking his knuckles irritatingly.

"You don't understand – there's been some kind of _huge _misunderstanding!" Kagome jerked her head towards the television set that was reeling through another string of fifteen-minute commercials. "My family thinks I'm dead!"

"I know." And he didn't seem to care either.

"I need to go back there and sort things out!" Kagome snapped. "They're heartbroken – Kikyo was bawling her eyes out on national television!"

_Our Kikyo__… she__'s a good actor, isn__'t she? _Inuyasha feigned disinterest and made a mental note to keep the TV set switched off in future. The less she knew about what was going on, the better. So he changed the subject. "Need the bathroom?"

"No." Kagome answered automatically, even though she had been busting for the toilet since he'd left.

Inuyasha seemed to sense this. "Got a nice bathroom downstairs." He watched her with amused eyes. "Rain cloud print wallpaper."

Kagome said nothing.

"Every time you go in there, it's almost like a downpour is about to start on the walls." He rocked back in his chair. "Splish, splash, splish, splash… all that running water, you know?"

"…stop it…"

"Hot and cold running taps as well." he continued. "But you know what they say… what with limited water supplies, you can't use too much. Can't have all that clean water running down the drains and straight into the big blue sea… that _wet _blue sea…" He smirked at her. "What a wasssssssssste-"

"Please, don't." Kagome clenched her knees together.

"Don't, what?" he shrugged innocently. "I'm just talking about the environment and how we all have to do our part to keep our world stable." His chair fell back in place suddenly with his feet on the floor. He leant forward conspiratorially. "Did you know that there's about 1.41 billion cubic kilometres of water on the surface of this planet?"

"Not really, no-"

"And despite that, the water that you're drinking has probably already been drunk by someone else at one time or another. You can blame the water legislationssssssss…"

Kagome slammed her hands against the mattress, making the cuffs bang noisily against the rail. "Would you stop that?!" she shouted, despite the fact that it hurt her head more than it hurt him.

"Stop what?" Again with the innocence.

"Y-You're trying to make me pee myself!" She squirmed with embarrassment.

"Not on my bed, you won't." He stood up and took something out of his pocket. "We're off to the bathroom."

"You make it sound like a fun day out." Kagome said dryly.

The item in his pocket turned out to be the key to the handcuffs. One quick 'click' and she was free to move her hands as she wished. "Ooh… that's so much better." Kagome stretched her cramped up arms and tugged at the cuff still attached to her left wrist. "What about this one?"

"Forget it." He caught her free wrists and dragged her upright.

Unprepared for such a manoeuvre, Kagome wobbled as her legs began to buckle. "Steady." Inuyasha hissed as he gripped her under the arms to keep her upright. Kagome was grateful for the quick rescue, but she hastily pushed him away to stand alone. "I'm fine." she told him curtly.

"Right." He rolled his eyes and led her down the stairs into the main room of the small flat. Kagome wrinkled her nose slightly at the insane messiness of the place, but was too polite to say anything as he ushered her towards the bathroom. "In here." he told her, before shoving her inside and shutting the door.

"Wow, and here I was thinking you were going to hold my hand throughout." her muffled voice responded through the door.

"I'm sure you can manage." he called back evenly as he busied himself by picking up the groceries that Kikyo had knocked over previously. Unloading them into the fridge was tricky, as it was already crammed to the brim with all sorts of unhealthy snacks… most of which were past their use-by date.

Kagome's voice drifted through the bathroom door again. "You know, these aren't rain clouds. They're carrots."

Inuyasha feigned a stupefied look, even though she wasn't there to appreciate the sarcasm. "You don't say!"

The bathroom fell quiet again and Inuyasha tentatively sniffed an unlabeled tin of… white fluffy stuff? Whatever it had been, it probably wasn't edible now. He tossed it carelessly in the direction of the bin.

That was when he heard a suspicious rattling from inside the bathroom. He smirked as he pushed a six-pack of beer onto the top shelf of the fridge. "Trying to get out of the window, are we?" he hazarded a guess.

The rattling stopped with guilty suddenness. "…no." came the slow reply.

"That window's been nailed shut for three years. Not even Harry Houdini is getting out of that one." he informed her as he shut the fridge and picked his way across the room to the bathroom door. "Are you finished…?"

"…yes…"

"Then stop hiding."

Slowly, and almost timidly, the door creaked open and the dishevelled schoolgirl emerged. Her face may have been pasty, her hair may have been mattered, and her body may have been stiff and awkward, but her eyes burned with anger and determination as she looked up at him.

For a brief instant, he knew that of all the people he could have chosen to survive… this girl had been the right one. She wouldn't waste his gift to her.

"What?" she griped.

He grunted. "Nothing."

"Then give me a pat on the head and a biscuit, and I'll be going." She pivoted towards the front door, but no sooner had she taken one step than Inuyasha had reached out to pull her backwards.

"Set a foot outside that door and you're a dead little girl." he told her bluntly, hard fingers digging into the tender muscles of her forearm.

Kagome turned to cast a dubious look over him. "Are you threatening me?"

"Of course not." He released his painful grip on her. "I'm trying to protect you."

"From what?" she demanded.

"To tell you would cause more harm than good." he said simply.

"I don't believe that." She narrowed her eyes. "You're lying to me, or you're just not telling me the whole truth."

"A little from column A, a little from column B." Inuyasha replied easily as he moved to sit down at the kitchen table. "Come sit with me, Kagome."

The schoolgirl folded her arms stiffly. "You sound like some kind of paedophile."

"Would you stop saying that? I'm not coming on to you, I'm just asking you to sit down. You look dead on your-"

"Stop saying you're a paedophile?" Kagome suddenly repeated. "But that was the first time I've said it!"

"Nah… you said the same thing a few days ago." He tapped his head and looked at her pointedly. "I guess the bump on the noggin must have knocked a few extra screws loose."

"So… when I met you I told you that you were a paedophile?" Kagome frowned suspiciously as she began adding up the facts. "Then I probably met you _before _I got smacked around the head."

Inuyasha wanted to smack her round the head all over again. "What makes you say that?" he asked tightly.

"Well, I'm assuming I passed out after the bump, so unless I accused you of paedophilia while I was unconscious, I met you _before _the bump." Kagome finished triumphantly.

Inuyasha looked vaguely disinterested in her whole Sherlock Holmes style deduction. "So?" he shrugged in a bored way.

"So… do you know who did this to me?" She pointed to her head.

If he didn't tell her, then she'd only be stubborn and pester him endlessly. Inuyasha sighed as he realised this and gestured to the chair opposite him. "Sit down, Kagome."

Slowly, she did as he'd told and waited for him to continue.

"You probably don't realise it, but you've managed to associate yourself with a rather… ruthless person. Don't interrupt." He held up a finger when she opened her mouth to break into his monologue. "You did something to upset this person and they went to a contractor to have you dealt with."

Kagome looked dispassionately at him. She didn't believe a word. "Oh, and you know this… how?"

"That's not important." He brushed the question aside. "The relevant point is that the minute you return to your family this person will realise that you're alive and will no doubt attempt to kill you again… to keep you quiet if not just out of anger."

Kagome scoffed. "You're mistaken. I don't know people as ruthless as that – and I sure as anything go out of my way to avoid offending people. What could they possibly have against me? I'm fifteen, for god's sake!"

"What if I told you that it was one of your family who tried to have you killed…?" Inuyasha leant forward, resting his cheek in his palm.

Kagome pulled a face. "I love my family, and my family loves me… I seriously doubt that they would want to kill me."

"Kikyo did."

Kagome raised an eyebrow and appraised her 'rescuer'. This had to be just another dish of lies and tales that he was trying to feed her. The fact that he knew Kikyo's name did not impress her. Kikyo was the head of a leading brand of cosmetics, particularly famous and celebrated for her accomplishing so much by the age of twenty-five. A lot of people knew who she was, and people often mistook Kagome for her cousin when passing her on the street (though the uniform was usually a dead give-away that she was, in fact, just an ordinary schoolgirl).

This _hanyou _could have gotten his facts anywhere. "Right." Kagome said slowly. "And who exactly did Kikyo contract into killing me?"

From the look on his face, she could see that he knew she was immune to his fibs. But he still said "The Coalescence."

"The Coalescence. Wonderful." Kagome looked up at the ceiling. "The Coalescence came after little old me. Even though they tend to blow up buses and kill politicians more than schoolgirls. They're terrorists, not mercenaries."

"They still need to get their money somewhere. Hired guns can earn a lot." he told her.

"I don't care – it's total bullshit." It wasn't often that she swore, but if there was a time for extreme language, it was now. "I wake up in this pigsty of a flat with a creepy half-human, half-whatever watching over me, and you expect me to swallow this garbage about my cousin and a group of terrorists? Dream on."

"You don't think Kikyo is capable of murder?" he asked, humoured.

"Kikyo is my _cousin_! I love her, and she loves me. There's never been any bad blood between us, and she'd certainly never try and have me killed!" Kagome lectured him.

"Then you obviously don't know Kikyo that well." Inuyasha smirked to himself as he traced a ring of coffee stain on the table before him.

"And I suppose you do? You – a total stranger!" Kagome waved a hand at him. "You know what I think? I think you're some crazy whack-job who's feeling lonely so you kidnapped me to keep you company whilst trying to make me believe that staying here is in my best interests. I don't know what you did that made my family believe that I was dead, but you can't hide me here forever."

"Well, normally I wouldn't really care. It's your life and if you walked out that door now and got yourself killed within a few hours of contacting your family, that would be your choice and your problem." He sighed and scratched his head. "But my problem is that I would wind up dead as well."

"Yeah? Why's that?" Kagome humoured him.

"Because I've harboured you. The Coalescence won't take kindly to that."

"You're a demon. Of course they'd take kindly to you." she snapped.

He smiled slightly. "That's not how the world works. I'm also human, remember?"

Kagome smiled the way someone smiled when they were told something so absurd and ridiculous that the only option was to laugh and turn their head away. "This is ridiculous. You can't convince me that my cousin tried to have me killed. Where's the proof?"

"The proof will come soon." he told her evenly. "She killed you for your miracle cream formula… how long do you think it will be before she markets the product?"

This had Kagome's attention like nothing else. No one knew about Zero-G. No one except herself, her family, and her friends. How on earth did he know? "Zero-G…?"

"Oh, is that what you call it?" Inuyasha shrugged. "I'm surprised you didn't see this coming. Your cousin is head of a multi-million cosmetic enterprise, eager to get their hands on 'the next big thing' and there's little you inventing it."

"I-I didn't invent it, I was just tweaking it…" Kagome stammered, unsettled by this turn of events.

"Kikyo killed you for your formula, Kagome." he told her seriously.

"She asked for the research." Kagome realised. "But I turned her down… and that was all. She wasn't upset – she just told me that it was my decision to make."

"So she took the formula by force." he concluded. "A little redundant, but the motivation for murder always is."

Kagome stared at him a moment before shaking her head angrily. "No! Kikyo wouldn't do something like that! I saw her on TV – she was honestly heartbroken that I was dead! You can't tell me that she was acting because I've known Kikyo all my life and she's a _terrible _actor!"

"Or so you think…" he trailed off pointedly.

"You're lying." Kagome glowered at him. "You're just trying to keep me here – there is still no proof that what you say is true. You're just making it all up!"

"Kagome, Kagome, Kagome… you're so small-minded." He stood up. "Let me get you a drink. You're probably dehydrated by now."

Kagome watched him get up and move over to the sink to wash out a new glass for her. "Orange juice or water?" he asked over his shoulder.

"Um… orange juice." Kagome glanced hastily towards the front door, trying to judge the distance and figure out the correct way to open the catch. She looked back at Inuyasha, who had opened the fridge by now and was leaning in to find her juice.

It was now or never.

Not bothering to keep quiet, Kagome threw back her chair and charged for the door. The catch popped open easily, and she flung herself through the doorway into blissful freedom.

Two hands caught her shoulders.

"Don't tempt fate, princess." She heard Inuyasha purr next to her ear.

_How__…? That was way too fast__…!_ Kagome struggled in vain, despite her weakened state. "Let go of me, you oaf! I have to go back there!"

"Keep it down!" he snapped, clamping a hand over her mouth.

One of the doors across the hall opened, and an old woman leaned out with her cat. "What's going on?" she asked nosily, surveying them with her shrewish eyes.

"Nothing, Mrs Saito…" Inuyasha called cheerfully to his neighbour. "You know what girls are like when they hear there's a sale going on down town."

Kagome screamed her muffled protests and obscenities against his hand. If she could just let that woman know that she had been kidnapped then-

"Bah!" The old woman flung her hand at her. "You children and your compulsive spending habits. Do yourself a favour and stop licking the feet of the government."

"You couldn't be more right, Mrs Saito." Inuyasha waved with his spare hand as the woman disappeared back into her flat. "She's my favourite neighbour." he whispered to Kagome as he dragged her back inside.

"I can see why." Kagome hissed as she wrenched herself free once they were inside. "Dammit!"

"You're quite a troublemaker, aren't you?" he mused as he moved to fetch the orange juice that he'd poured for her. He set it down on the table. "Drink it. You'll feel better."

"Probably poisoned." Kagome said bitterly as she slumped into her chair and began sipping the juice. It did revive her a little, but she still felt depressed and hopeless.

Inuyasha waited until he seemed satisfied with the amount of juice she'd drunk. "Good." he said finally and plucked his jacket off the back of a kitchen chair. "I have to go to work now, so you be a good little girl and keep my flat intact while I'm gone."

"You call this 'intact'?" Kagome glanced around the room. But it was a pretence. The second he was gone, she would be out that door faster than a rabbit with his tail on fire.

"And just as an extra precaution…" Inuyasha strode up to her, caught her wrist, and snapped the end of the handcuff around the table leg. Kagome gaped in horror and jangled her hand… but from the way he'd locked the cuff around the top part of the leg – between the table top and an off-shooting metal bar that braced together with another leg – there was no way Kagome was getting out of that one. If she ran away, she'd have to drag the table with her… and not only was it heavy, but it probably wouldn't go through the door.

"Great. Fantastic." Kagome breathed, her mood plummeting a few extra notches.

"Help yourself to the contents of the fridge." he told her as he headed for the door. "But beware of the fuzzy things… they're probably not edible. Especially if they plead for mercy."

Kagome was too cross to answer and sat like a stiff plank of angry wood. She stayed like that even when the sounds of Inuyasha's noisy motorbike faded into the distance. How could she have let herself fall into this situation? How could she be so damn _careless_?

But even so, she wasn't even sure that she was responsible. She didn't even remember how this had all began, but if she did, she was certain that a small amount of stupidity on her behalf was to blame.

She clattered the handcuffs again, but to no avail. The bar was welded and the tabletop was screwed. The only way she would be able to break free was…

_If I had a screwdriver or a hacksaw._ Kagome leant down to survey the workmanship of the joints. Ahh… negative screws. They would need a big screwdriver as well… something which was going to be hard to find in this armpit of trash pile.

Kagome's wandering eyes lingered on the kitchen counter, idly surveying the items on the surface. A loaf of bread, a few dirty plates and a chopping board were among the most prominent items, along with a few pieces of cutlery.

Then there was the butter knife.

Kagome blinked at the object, taking in the narrow blade and the blunt end… surely… surely that would work?

In sudden haste, Kagome scrambled out of her seat and dragged the heavy table towards the kitchen counter. As soon as she was within reach, she grabbed the knife and ducked under the table to begin attacking the screws with it.

It was an awkward, fiddly process, but within a few minutes the screws were beginning to come loose. She bit her lip in pure joy and elation as the first screw toppled out and hit the tatami mat. The second one soon followed, and the moment the third had been removed, she could easily lift the corner of the tabletop away.

Her cuffs slipped out… and she was free at last.

The door wasn't locked, and Kagome wasted no time in trying to find her cardigan and shoes. Inuyasha could return at any moment – she couldn't afford to stay any longer.

Kagome opened the door and ran down the stairs with a sense of surrealism that she often only felt when remarkably good things happened to her. Like the time she'd won the raffle at her school's presentation evening, or the time she'd received the Furby she'd been dying for when she was a child.

It all seemed too good to be true as she stepped out of the dingy building and into the open air of the street. The fresh air hit her face, and she breathed in deeply like she'd been suffocating for days. A dead girl was about to come back to life… and she couldn't wait to let her family know that she was safe. She could imagine the relief on their faces when they saw her, and how they'd hug her and tell her they loved her and be paranoid about her safety for years to come.

No doubt she'd also warn the police that a crackpot hanyou was going around kidnapping teenage girls… and wait till she told Kikyo about his deluded story about Zero-G. She could just picture how her cousin would laugh.

The only problem was that she hadn't a clue where she was… but anywhere was better than this place, so Kagome set off at a quick pace in a random direction. It wasn't easy walking these streets in socked feet, but Kagome hardly cared as she crossed roads and turned down new streets. She was free of her captor and that was all that mattered. Stepping on a few pieces of broken tarmac was nothing compared to the jubilation she felt at that moment.

She headed in the direction of the shops, knowing that shopping districts often had phone boxes dotted around. She'd be able to call her family and let them know she was safe, and they'd pick her up in no time. She'd be back with her family faster than you could say 'Coalescence'.

It was even more reassuring to realise that Kagome was beginning to recognise the area she was walking through.

This was the Riiza district that she often came to with her mother when the Christmas shopping had to be done. There were a lot of good places to get presents, and she knew for a fact that there was a phone box in the main shopping plaza. Kagome picked up the pace, despite her growing fatigue, and headed straight through the familiar walkways and markets to where her destination lay. Her family was so close that she could almost feel them with her.

The plaza came into view, complete with its familiar bandstand and twenty foot wide billboard mounted above it. It was showing an advert about a new style of uniform that had been brought in for weekends while the echoing voice of the narrator told the shoppers in the plaza how sharp and very snazzy looking it was. But Kagome had no time for that. The phone box was right there before her, and Kagome hurried to get to it before that other woman did.

Kagome felt no remorse in snatching victory and dove into the box to grab the handset off the hook. She had no money, so she would have to reverse the charges of the call to her house – not that it was likely her family would mind that much. Not once they discovered she was alive and well and that everything had just been a huge misunderstanding.

Kagome punched the appropriate numbers and bobbed nervously as the ring tone droned through the ear piece. "Pick up… please, pick up…" Kagome chanted under her breath as she waited for her mother's familiar voice.

Perhaps they were out?

"…_new product from the Regenis range of skin care_…"

Kagome's ears automatically tuned in to the name of her cousin's company. She glanced distractedly out of the transparent cubicle at the televised commercial on the billboard.

_"…within an hour of application will totally eradicate premature signs of ageing__…"_

Kagome turned her attention back to the phone. "Come on, Mama… please pick up…"

_"…along with cellulite, stretch marks and other minor scars__…_"

The headset slipped away from Kagome's ear by a few inches as she turned her head back to the billboard with a frown.

"…_infused with essence of Aloe Vera, this natural formula works with your skin to cover almost any kind of blemish without the harm that other products of this nature can cause__…_"

"No…" The headset slithered completely out of Kagome's grasp and swung against the plastic cubicle wall with a clatter. Her hands plastered to the same wall, staring at the billboard with open shock.

_"…**G-Force **by Kikyo Higurashi. Soon to be available from all good retailers._"

………………........................................................

"The mission is simple." Naraku slid the small black box across the desk towards Inuyasha. "Press the green button, drop it in a bin, and walk away. You'll have a hundred and twenty seconds to get out of range of the explosion. But don't hurry, it will look suspicious."

"You're not talking to a newbie here." Inuyasha shoved the bomb back towards his boss. "And the answer is no. You know I hate doing stuff like this."

"Killing civilians?" Naraku guessed with a smile.

"And on a Saturday morning? The city is packed with shoppers." Inuyasha twiddled a little finger through his hair. "You know, these ear pins are really beginning to wreck…"

"Inuyasha, that's the whole point of doing it today. The place will be crowded and the damage will be the maximum." Naraku tented his fingers.

_Depending on which bin I dump it into__… _"How much?" Inuyasha asked.

"Ten thousand."

"No deal. My mother wants a genuine gold watch for her birthday." Inuyasha rotated his swivelling chair from side to side as he locked eyes with Naraku. "Ten thousand won't cover it."

"How about fifty thousand?"

"You think my mother deserves cheap shit like that?"

Naraku sighed. "How about I just buy you the watch?"

"I'd rather take the money. No offence, but your taste stinks." Inuyasha gave him a dirty look.

"Seventy thousand. No higher. The lives of civilians aren't worth any more than that."

Inuyasha gazed at the bomb, resting a solitary finger on the hard casing… before suddenly snatching it up and bouncing it in his hand. "Fine. I'll do it. Where do you want the drop-off?"

"The Riiza district plaza… drop it in the bin next the bandstand." Naraku smiled with sinister grace as he folded his arms across his chest. "That's all you have to do."

Next update: Chapter Four: The Porn Star.

……………………………...............................................

**_FAQ_**

**How old is Inuyasha?**

I haven't a clue. I'll ask him later.

**Shouldn't Kagome remember Inuyasha since she met him before she got brained?**

No, she met him the same day she got brained, therefore she remembers nothing.

**Have you read 1984?**

Nope. I've only heard about it through the reviews and that it appears to be a book that is studied in high school. I had to study Beowulf instead…

**Why would anyone name themselves after the essence of coal?**

They wouldn't, quite simply. The word 'Coalesce' means 'to grow together', and the term 'Coalescence' means 'a group of diverse things which fuse together so as to form one whole'. Reminds me of Naraku.

**Lo siento, no me gustan mi hamsteres con mi pan tostado frito. Me gustan mi hamsteres con mi papas.**

That's utterly ghastly. How do you sleep at night?

**You should write a lemon!**

No, I really shouldn't. I'm probably very bad at it. The kiss in this chapter alone was almost too embarrassing to write. I'm not a citrusy writer.

**Kikyo's too evil! She'd never do something that ruthless to someone who got in her way!**

Kikyo can never be too evil. And she seems to like trying to get rid of Kagome an awful lot in the series… usually whilst saying 'You're in my way'.

**You said the killer had blonde hair! Inuyasha isn't a blonde!**

I said he had 'platinum blonde' hair, and if you type that into google (and while ignoring all the porno) you'll find that platinum blonde is a very silver/white shade of hair dye. It's not yellow in any way.

**Noooooo! Don't make Inuyasha kill Miroku! He's too adorable to die!!!**

Too late!

**If Kagome's alive, then who did the police fish out of the canal?**

::pictures the police on the quayside with their fishing rods:: Uh… sorry… can't answer that question… the mental images… too… bizarre…

**Stop spelling things wrong you stupid british person!**

Terribly sorry. I don't deserve your forgiveness.

I'd like to add that there are no spelling mistakes in this chapter. It has been combed by Aithril so any 'mistakes' are just alternate spellings of words that you probably recognise anyway. Don't worry, Aithril pointed them out to me but I kept most of them spelt the british way… purely out of stubbornness, I'm afraid. That and the fact that my spellchecker is set to English: UK and so in order to keep that little red tick at the bottom of the page, and know that I've not missed anything, I keep the spellings as they are. This shouldn't cause confusion as the words are still the same and mean the same things, and anyone who complains about it will be attacked by my Vicious Sock Puppet of Grammar ä. I don't have to change the fundamentals of the way I was taught to write for the scant few people who can't deal with the fact that there are English users outside of America who have different grammatical rules. The sooner those scant few people realise this and stop leaving idiotic reviews the sooner I can stop bitching about it. Honestly, this has to be the sixth time that I've dedicated an A/N to those bozos.

To clarify: I'm _English. _I'm from _England_. I _know _how to use _English_. Please stop assuming I'm a moron and go read the un-translated versions of the Harry Potter books if you really don't understand what I'm writing. The words I use aren't OLD English, they're just plain English. You want Old English? Kyssan min aers! (Congratulations to anyone who understands that.)

But the majority of people understand perfectly and I greatly appreciate this and thank them for putting up with me. But when a couple of people start getting rude about this subject, it really irks me and I can't keep quiet. I don't like having to constantly remind idiots that I'm not making mistakes.


	5. The Porn Star

**Author'****s notes: **A few more bits of FAQ for the curious ones among you at the end of the chapter. And a special note to the _person_ who thinks everyone from Britain is stupid (you may be 70 percent right, but as a Grammar school student, I escaped all that, thankyouverymuch).

* * *

**Zero-G**

**Chapter Four**

**The Porn Star**

Everything was going according to plan. His bike was parked at a safe distance - down an alley beside the market square - and no one was giving him a second glance as he made his way through the streets to the Riiza plaza. Perhaps it was because, at that moment in time, he looked just like an ordinary human.

As long as you didn't look too closely.

But all the pedestrians needed to see was another black-haired youth with his hair tied in a discreet plait down the back of his jacket, before moving their gazes on automatically. No one suspected that he was on his way to blow up a small portion of their shopping facilities.

However, before the bang, a burger was in order, so Inuyasha meandered his way past the plaza to his destination which came in the form of WacDonalds. The queue was considerably long for 'fast food' and it was uncomfortable standing in line with a bomb in his pocket.

Not for the first time, he wondered whether or not this bomb was particularly stable. Naraku was a bit dodgy when it came to deals, and it wouldn't surprise Inuyasha if his boss had picked up bombs that had fallen out the back of a lorry somewhere. All Inuyasha knew was that there were two gases in this bomb, and when the timer reset to zero, the gases would collide and create a hearty explosion that would put Hollywood stunts to shame. But would the two gases be released if he… say… bumped the bomb a little bit?

Inuyasha tried to move as little as possible as the queue inched forward until he was finally at the till.

"Can I take your order?" the greasy little pimple opposite him droned. "We're doing a special Big Mac today if you're interested-"

"I'm not," Inuyasha said abruptly, careful to keep his eyes downcast in case the youth before him saw the colour. "What's the cheapest thing on the menu?"

"Hamburger. No cheese. With a side order of saliva." The pimple glared at him. "A hundred and fifty yen."

Inuyasha glared back at the counter. "I'll give you three hundred if you don't spit on it."

"Deal."

Inuyasha tapped gloved claws against the desk surface as he let his thoughts drift back to the girl in his flat. He wondered if she was doing ok all by herself. She seemed better than yesterday, and certainly more mouthy, but was it really safe to leave her alone when she was in such great danger from the Coalescence and her own stupidity? What if she'd found a way to escape and was heading back to her family right at that very moment…? Walking straight into the hands of the enemy…

"Here's your burger, sir." The youthful zit handed him a warm polystyrene box.

Inuyasha tossed the money across the desk and instantly turned to walk away, not bothering with receipts or other useless pleasantries.

Without even making the effort to glance around for onlookers, Inuyasha opened the burger tray and held the morsel of food in his mouth while pulling the bomb out of his pocket. He tapped the small green button, noting the little red light that began blinking behind it, and placed it into the box before closing the lid like it was the most natural thing in the world.

What was the point of looking for people who might be watching when he was surrounded by hundreds of them? To look around guiltily would attract attention… but to act natural was to appear innocent. It was as simple as that. Even if a police officer was watching him at that very moment, their eyes would not have registered the action he'd just taken.

Bomb in place and burger in hand, Inuyasha munched as he weaved through the crowds towards the plaza itself. He spotted the bandstand and the large billboard above it showing some kind of cosmetics advert. There weren't a lot of people lingering around the bandstand today, so perhaps that was a blessing in disguise.

Inuyasha mentally shrugged. It was better to not feel hope on behalf of his victims.

It was a simple matter of finishing his burger off as he approached the lone bin set into the concrete beside the raised platform that served as the bandstand. It was already full of so much rubbish that it was overflowing, and the smell had attracted a fleet of wasps. Inuyasha swatted them away as he approached, lifting his hand to position the burger tray above the contents of the bin.

The bomb was dropped.

The sheer weight had the burger tray falling straight to the middle of the rubbish pile, and Inuyasha checked his wristwatch as he moved on, unhurried.

Ninety seconds to get fifty yards away and out of the blast-range. No worries.

Inuyasha didn't even glance back over his shoulder as he sauntered out of the plaza and down one of the side streets.

Inuyasha paused outside a female clothing shop. Black, white and shades of varying grey assaulted him, and he couldn't decide which dress was supposed to be 'nice'. He idly wondered what size Kagome was… just in case she needed new clothing. If he ever took her outside the flat, it was better that she ditched the school uniform and took on a more adult look.

_Twenty seconds_.

There were three types of girls in this world – the ones who preferred white clothes, the ones who preferred black clothes, and those that liked the varying greys. Inuyasha would have to ask which type she was…

_Ten seconds._

Although, knowing this girl's stubborn tendencies, perhaps she'd be none of the above. Perhaps he should just go for black. After all, it was very slimming, and most girls were usually obsessed with their weight-

A sound much like that of a truck colliding with another truck rang off. Almost deafening. The ground gave a heavy shudder, and a gust of hot air blasted past, warming Inuyasha's cheek and making him sway to one side.

The explosion was followed by several resounding crashes and a distant roar of flames. People were screaming, running both away from the destruction and towards it. Odd pieces of shrapnel were raining down, even at Inuyasha's distance.

He only bothered to turn his gaze away from the dresses when a heavy piece of roof tiling shattered by his feet. He eyed the mess with disdain before finally glancing back the way he had come. The bandstand was still visible… or what was left of it. Three of the four pillars on the stand had been demolished, along with the roof, and the fourth pillar was in a very wobbly state indeed. Bricks and concrete lay in smouldering piles while the culprit bin itself had been obliterated completely.

Even at this distance, Inuyasha could count the casualties.

"Help! Somebody help them! Call an ambulance!"

But with traffic congestion as bad as it was these days, the chances of any medical help arriving under an hour was doubtful. And even though there were already a few shrieks and mutterings of, "Coalescence," the police probably wouldn't appear any time soon either.

Inuyasha emptied his lungs with a quick sigh and shrugged. All in a day's work.

However, just as he was turning to leave and put this unpleasant incident out of his mind, he stepped on something.

For the first time in a long time, Inuyasha's heart skipped a beat.

* * *

Kagome slowly set the receiver back into its cradle. Her mother had yet to pick up, but now she wasn't sure what she could say to her. 

_It might just be a coincidence, _Kagome thought to herself as she continued to stare at the billboard long after the advert had gone. _She may have just been inspired and was working on something similar…_

But then, why announce it just _after _Kagome had supposedly died? Why had she never said anything before? Why was the name so similar?

Her head was beginning to ache again, and she carefully pressed the heel of her palm against her brow, trying to will back the pain in order to concentrate. She couldn't have been thinking clearly… because the only way she knew that Kikyo could have produced the exact same product as Zero-G was if she'd stolen Kagome's research.

_"__You don'__t think Kikyo is capable of murder?"_

"She's not… there's a mistake…" Kagome dizzily pushed her way out of the phone box and stumbled towards the bandstand to sit down.

There was still no reason to suspect that Kikyo had tried to kill her. What if Kikyo was releasing the formula in her honour… despite Kagome's previous wishes? Perhaps the advert had just failed to mention that…

"There's still no backing to what he said." Kagome gasped out as she bent till her forehead touched her knees. _And I can__'__t just sit around here while my family grieves. I have to get back to them._

Pain or no pain, she set her teeth and got to her feet. She knew this place and knew the way back home. She also knew that with a little pleading and begging, she could get money off someone for a bus fare. Her mother may not have been answering the phone, but that didn't mean that Kagome couldn't go home and wait for her return. Then she could ask Kikyo was the deal was with 'G-Force'. It was probably just a big misunderstanding…

Kagome headed towards one of the streets branching off from the plaza. There was a bus station down there, and that was where a little whining and a sob story or two could haggle Kagome her ride.

But then there was a crash. The floor tipped beneath her, and she hit the concrete with a winded thud. Heat seared the soles of her feet and the back of her legs while a terrible ringing noise began to deafen her.

Her eyes snapped open in time to see a slab of concrete shatter a few metres away, but the impact sounded distant or like she was standing in a sound-proof bubble. There was screaming, too, but it was all so muffled…

It took a few moments to catch her breath, but when she had, Kagome began to sit up. Slowly, her hearing started to return, and with it, her scattered senses. She looked around at the devastating flames that licked the occasional crumb of wood and litter, and knew that she'd just escaped another bomb. There were victims, too, more unlucky than herself who had been closer to the blast, and they all lay prone or groaning on the ground.

A pram was strewn, overturned only a few feet away from where Kagome had just been sitting. But no child could be heard crying.

"Someone…" Her voice clogged up in her throat as if she was speaking aloud in a dream. "Help…! Somebody help them! Call an ambulance!"

But everyone was too busy rushing around like the frightened sheep they resembled. It was a terrorist attack. No one wanted to hang around to see if another bomb was waiting to go off.

Kagome took an unsteady step towards the phone boxes, only to find to her horror that they had been crushed in the explosion. They lay on their sides, plastic walls broken and metal frames bent. Fractured wires and cables poked out from beneath them…

For a panicked moment, Kagome was at as much a loss as the people around her. She couldn't call for medical help, and she had no first aid training herself.

It lasted only a moment before she managed to gather herself once again. By now most people had all but fled the plaza, while a few of the braver souls had rushed forward to help the injured victims. But not one of them seemed to have time to make a phone call.

Kagome looked around wildly, dismissing the option of going after the cowards who were running away. Then her gaze fell on the one person who stood out like a sore thumb in all this chaos.

While general hysteria ruled, there was one black haired man who stood unperturbed through it all. He was outside some kind of clothing shop, looking down calmly at a heap of rumble by his feet. He was neither running away or helping out… but maybe he had a phone?

"Excuse me, sir." She started running towards him, tripping over pieces of crumbled bandstand. Then he was starting to turn away. "Please, wait!"

He stopped, just when she thought he'd heard her, but instead began reaching down to pick something up. He must have been deaf or something to be oblivious to such an explosion and ignorant to her calls. "Excuse me!" she shouted again. This time he turned-

Kagome staggered to an immediate halt.

If Inuyasha was surprised to see her, he did a very good job of containing himself. He simply gave her a long hard look, dispassionate and hollow, and said nothing. In his fist, he gripped a child's toy: a stuffed monkey with a missing tail.

Kagome knew that the missing appendage was back beside the pram she'd seen.

"W-we," she began breathlessly, made uneasy by his appearance and his stare, "we have to call an ambulance."

"Someone will have done so already," he responded in a monotone.

"Well…" Kagome shifted uncertainly. "What are you doing here?"

"I work here." He finally released her from the imprisoning stare and glanced down at the toy he held.

"What's wrong with your hair?" She eyed him cautiously. "It was white this morning."

"And you were safely tied up this morning," he returned.

Kagome almost balked at his gall. "You think I wouldn't have tried to escape?" she snapped. "I was a hostage - it's well within my right to make a break for it."

"You were in my protection." He looked around. "Look what happened the moment you got loose. You were almost killed."

Kagome's mouth went dry. "W-What are you saying? This bomb wasn't intended for me."

"Wasn't it?" He looked up at her with a strange expression that she couldn't decipher. "It's just a coincidence that a bomb went off here, now of all times, when you just happen to be passing through on your way home, no doubt."

"For all I know - you planted that bomb to kill me off!" Kagome shot back.

"If I wanted to kill you, you'd be dead by now, Kagome." He stuffed his hands into his pockets.

"Well… I don't know what kind of crazy ideas of protection you have - but I don't need your help." She began moving backwards, away from him. "I have to go home now and let my family know that I'm alright."

She turned to run, but once again he seemed to catch her wrist at an inhuman speed. Something blunt stabbed against her throat and her whole right side went numb. She choked out something incomprehensible as she went down on one knee… but then the same jab was applied to her opposite shoulder, and she winked out like a light.

* * *

"-_explosion today, in Riiza plaza. The Coalescence is the prime suspect, but so far, police have received no confession of responsibility. Fifteen people were injured while three are dead. CCTV footage is being reviewed, but unfortunately, all CCTV cameras located at the scene of the explosion have been tampered with_-" 

The newsreader's voice had been the first thing to penetrate her consciousness. Before long, Kagome opened her eyes and fixed a glassy stare on the television set opposite her.

A black and white picture.

"Oh no…" Kagome buried her head desolately into her 'pillow', which was in fact a fresh towel. Familiar smells reminded her that she was back where she had started - she could even smell the same chicken soup stain on the mattress that she'd made the night before. The handcuffs were back around her wrists, though this time she hadn't been chained to the bed.

Despair overtook her again, and Kagome fought the bitter urge to cry.

"Awake again, I see." An equally familiar voice arrived in the bedroom, and Kagome shrunk further against the sheets. "You made quite a job of my table, you know. I couldn't even begin to fix it, so now I have a permanently wobbly table. Thanks."

"You're welcome," Kagome muttered miserably.

He sighed loudly. "I know you don't mean that."

The chair beside the bed scraped as he seated himself down again, and the frame beneath Kagome shook twice as he planted his feet against the rail. "You're smarter than I gave you credit for. I doubt any other girl would have had the same ingenuity that you've shown."

"Then you're obviously underestimating girls in general," she ground out.

A splash of water sounded, and Kagome's head shot up to see what he was doing. "What are you doing?" she demanded.

In his lap, he held a bowl of water and was busily squeezing the moisture out of an old rag. "It's for your head."

"I don't need your help," she told him coldly, noting that his curling wet locks were now a streaky kind of grey rather than the jet black they had been before. But why exactly had he dyed his hair in the first place?

"Isn't the smell of blood beginning to bother you by now?" he sniffed absently. "I know that when I get brained, I tend to be smelling the blood at the back of my throat for days - especially when I don't look after myself."

Kagome rolled her eyes. "The fact that you've been smacked over the head doesn't surprise me. You're highly irritating."

"You're not that easy to live with either," he said, as if returning a pleasant compliment. "Now turn your head this way and don't move too much.

"Screw you." Kagome turned her head away instead.

"You were much easier to tend to when you were unconscious," he griped, almost to himself.

The thought that he'd been watching over her and tending her wound while she was sleeping gave Kagome some very mixed feelings. The soft, forgiving side of her was touched; the more prominent and sensible side of her knew that she didn't trust this guy with her unconscious body. She turned her head back towards him. "What else did you do while I was sleeping?"

"Not much," he shrugged. "Drew moustaches on your face… took pictures of you in compromising positions… had sex with you a few times-"

Kagome's foot clapped him over the head with a well aimed kick. "You disgusting, despicable, no-good, sonofabitch-"

"Ow." Inuyasha pushed her foot back down. "You're quite the flexible one, aren't you?"

But now Kagome was gaping at him as if his nose had just fallen off.

He rolled his eyes. "It was a joke," he told her slowly, as if talking to a very stupid child. "I wouldn't touch you in a million years. I like my women to be women."

She still stared at him.

"Unless I really am a paedophile… in which case you're too old."

The penetrating stare continued.

"That was another joke, by the way," Her stare was beginning to unnerve him. "But if you don't stop gawping at me right now, I'll tickle you so hard that you'll piss yourself. Tickling is worse than pain, you know."

Kagome wordlessly lifted her hands and pointed to her head, but the way she was staring at him indicated that she meant to draw attention to his own skull.

"What?" Inuyasha lifted a hand to prod his hair. "What's the matter with my… oh…"

His fingers met a fuzzy triangle of fur poking up between his hair. It seemed that her kick had sprung a few pins loose.

"What… on earth…?" she gaped at him, astounded.

"What?" he demanded defensively. "It's just an ear. You have ears too, you know. Mine are just on top of my head - and far prettier than your own, I might add."

"Can I touch it?"

Inuyasha had to do a double-take. "_What?"_

"Nothing." Kagome swiftly moved on. "Is that because you're a demon?"

"_Half_ demon," he corrected. Since the jig was already up anyway, he decided to remove the pins hiding his other ear from sight. It was a relief for his poor, abused little ears, and he rubbed them with a wince.

"So you're like a cat-boy or something?" Kagome asked, genuinely interested.

"_Dog-_boy," he snapped, slapping the rag into the water dish with a sigh. "Wait - forget that. Just _dog_. I don't want you getting any ideas for nicknames."

"Uh huh. So what breed of dog are you?" she asked.

"I'm not a dog!" he snapped.

"I know, but you're obviously _some _breed of dog. From the ears, I'd say you were some kind of working dog. Alsatian maybe, or German Shepherd… but the colouring suggests otherwise…"

"A White Shepherd, I think you'll find," Inuyasha found himself telling her before he caught himself. "Now stop analysing me - you're creeping me out."

"Good. It's my turn for a change." She sat up carefully, resting her hands against her lap. "So do you have any other weird appendages that I need to know about?"

"No."

"Now let's see…" She leaned forward to peer around the back of his head, probably looking for antennae or something equally stupid. "Wait - what are these scratches?" She was staring at something on the side of his face.

"Scratches?" He raised his fingers to touch his jaw quizzically. But as he felt the four raised lines against his skin, he dropped his hand. "Nothing. I got them during the explosion…" _and certainly not through making out with your cousin_.

"Oh, right…" Kagome deflated somewhat. "I can't believe anyone could actually _do _that, you know?"

"Do what?" Inuyasha looked down at his bowl of water.

"Blow up a square full of people." Kagome pulled a face. "How sick is that? To be so callous to human life that you could even contemplate killing that many people? I mean - there was a _baby_ in that explosion. How could anyone do that to a baby…?"

Inuyasha merely grunted and changed the subject. "You burnt your legs pretty badly," he told her. "I don't have anything here that will help the blisters, so I might go out later to the Chemist."

Kagome glanced down at her legs, and for the first time realised that her calves were scorched to a fine lobster red. "That's nothing compared to what other people suffered…"

"You were lucky."

"I doubt it," she glared at him. "If I was truly lucky, you wouldn't have been in the plaza, and I would have been home by now."

He gave a short derisive laugh. "You still think you're better off there than here? Kagome - your cousin tried to _kill _you. Why isn't that sinking in yet?"

Kagome ground her teeth and turned her glare on her knees instead.

"I've seen at least three adverts since this morning. Adverts from your cousin's company advertising some new miracle cream that will be on the market within weeks. It's been 'fifty years in the making', apparently. Now that strikes me as odd, considering Kikyo's company has only been in business for five years… anyone would think that she stole the formula off a recently deceased cousin who in turn took it from a long deceased grandmother."

"I'm not listening to you!" Kagome snapped. "You have no idea what you're talking about!"

"How can you _not _believe that G-Forks, or whatever, is Kikyo's own creation? It's _yours_. She took it from you," he drilled into her, his words beginning to ring a disturbing truth.

"Ok - I admit that it's a little odd," she huffed, "and perhaps she did take the formula… but that doesn't mean she killed me for it."

"You're naïve, you know that?" Inuyasha gave her a patronising look. "Why is it so hard for you to accept the truth? She stole your formula, she hasn't even credited either you or your grandmother, and she released the news of the new product barely two days after your death. Now that sounds suspicious to me."

"I can't believe it," she said firmly. "It _isn__'__t _possible."

The porcelain bowl hit the floor with a loud crack. "Then you're an idiot!" he growled at her. "Why can't you accept the truth?!"

"Because I can't!" she yelled back at him. "What kind of girl would I be if I was so quick to believe that my own cousin could be so horrible?! We're family! I love her! I can't just take your word for it and turn against her!"

Inuyasha wanted to tear his hair out. Or hers. Either would do. "You're so stupid! She killed you and you still love her?!"

"But I'm not dead!"

"You will be in a minute if you don't get this simple fact through that three inch thick skull of yours!"

"You're threatening me again!"

"That's because you're stupid!"

"I'm not stupid!"

"You are!"

"I'm not!"

"You are!"

"I'm not!"

"You are!"

The argument died when Kagome realised what childishness they were falling into. She shut her mouth firmly and glared at him instead. "Look, if you ever manage to produce some kind of infallible evidence against Kikyo, I will believe you. Until then, don't mind me while I play favourites when it comes to deciding who did what."

"Fine. But you have to promise to stick tight until I find it," he warned her.

Kagome shook her head. "I don't think so. The minute you drop your guard again - I'm gone. I don't place trust in the people who kidnap me."

"That's a shame. It wouldn't be so hard on you if you just accepted what your cousin has done and what kind of danger you're in. If you did that, I wouldn't be forced to lock you up all the time. I might even let you go out." He began to pick up the bowl, despite having cracked it and spilled most of the contents. "Now, do you want me to wash your head or not?"

"I'd rather do it myself," she said quietly.

"Too bad. Your hands are cuffed, and you can't see what you're doing." He grabbed the rag and squeezed the water out again. "Lean forward."

With a sigh, Kagome obeyed reluctantly and winced as he pressed the cool cloth against her scalp. Her matted hair pulled painfully as he dabbed away at the clots, attempting to untangle the locks. "Stop pulling faces," he told her offhandedly.

"You're not very gentle," she informed him, while keeping her vision fixed on the black and white TV that was still going through a news report on pollution.

"You might want to wash your hair some time… but not until you've healed." He rinsed the cloth. "Soap is quite painful in open wounds."

"Beauty and cleanliness comes at a price," she sniffed.

Inuyasha smirked. "Yours was your life."

_Walked right into that one,_ Kagome thought with a roll of her eyes.

"-_and in other news, Miroku Hoshi was found hanging by a feather boa in his dressing room yesterday evening after leaving a suicide note_," the newsreader was saying. _"__Friends and colleagues of Mr Hoshi admitted that the young man was particularly unbalanced emotionally and prone to long bouts of depression. The suicide note stated simply that Mr Hoshi was tired of living and despairing with his lot in life, and so felt that death was his only escape. His father, one of the leading district police officers involved in the search for Coalescence mercenaries, has stated in a press conference this morning that he is convinced the Coalescence is responsible for his son'__s death._"

"Miroku Hoshi?" Kagome frowned at the TV. "Why does that name sound familiar?"

"Uh… he's a porn star, sweetheart." _And I certainly didn'__t say his name over the phone when I was sent to kill him last night…_ "You watch porn then?"

"No!" Kagome jerked, startled. "I don't know where I've heard his name before, but I don't watch dirty films."

"That's what they all say," he replied loftily, and was rewarded with her heel crushing down on his toes.

"_In business and industry news, Kikyo Higurashi is set to release the most innovative cosmetic skin-care cream for a century_."

Kagome's head snapped back towards the television, and Inuyasha's hand dropped slowly from her hair.

"_This new cream, which has been fifty years in the making, is said to be able to cover any kind of blemish for twelve hours straight. Our press team caught up with Miss Higurashi this morning…_"

Then there was Kikyo again - the second time that Kagome had seen her since her abduction. She was sitting in a nicely furnished office that Kagome recognised, and speaking to someone off-camera.

"_Yes, G-Force is able to smooth out mild to medium wrinkles, along with scars, stretch marks and other assorted defects. It really is a miracle cream that can do wonders for maintaining beauty_."

"_You say it'__s been fifty years in the making, Miss Higurashi_," the off-camera interviewer said, "_so who exactly began the research?_"

"_My grandmother. When she died, she passed the research on to me, and I'__ve been working with my scientists to perfect the formula for the last year or so_."

"_This must be a very difficult time for you to release such a prestigious product, especially with the death of your cousin, Kagome Higurashi_."

"_Yes…"_Kikyo said smoothly, looking down in her grief. "_It'__s a very difficult time, but we must all learn to move on and continue with our lives_."

A sharp pang cut through Kagome's chest.

The newsreader came back onscreen with a pleasant smile. "_Hopefully, G-Force will be ready to go on sale some time in late Autumn._"

"You see?" Inuyasha said quietly as Kagome's chin fell. "She doesn't care about you. She's claimed the formula as her own… you were just in the way."

Everything was beginning to point to Kikyo as a culprit, and Kikyo wasn't doing herself any favours by taking the formula. But did this really mean that her cousin had tried to take her life…?

"_-and in baby wombat news, _this_ baby wombat was born in a zoo in New Zealand last Monday…_

_"__That'__s all the baby wombat news for now."_

Next Update: Chapter Five: An Agreement

* * *

**_Fackyews (FAQs)_**

Inuyasha shouldn't have used '-kun' for Kikyo. Isn't that a male suffix?

Yes it is, but it's not exclusively for men. It can sometimes be used for women – especially young professional women like Kikyo. In fact Tatewaki Kuno from Ranma ½ often referred to Akane as "Akane-kun". It's respectful but not as distant as 'san' and not as intimate as 'chan'. So this was the right choice for Inuyasha, considering their relationship.

Soooo… how old is Inuyasha?

Old enough to be involved with a 25 year old Kikyo and young enough to get into an under 13 club.

Are you serious?

No.

What does Kyssan min aers mean?

Kiss my arse. With an R please, as this is old English. ;)

Will you add more secondary characters like Sango and Shippo and Sesshomaru?

Yep. Just give me time to get round to it.

Why Zero-G and G-Force?

Zero-G is a reference to Zero-gravity, and we all know how things tend to head south as we get older... we have gravity to blame for that. G-force is the opposite in which the body is subjected to larger amounts of gravity - usually when travelling at high velocity on a rollercoaster and you leave your brain back where you started - and basically peal the skin back on your face like when Homer became an astronaut. So both Zero-G and G-Force could be considered to have anti-wrinkle properties (and both are the type of names that would sell) whilst meaning near opposite things.

Do you know that all your yen prices are really low when converted to dollars?

Yep. All the price tags in this fic are intentionally. They seem abnormally low, but that's a matter I intend to go into with the following chapters.

Product testing takes a while. Kikyo technically shouldn't be putting the cream on the market just yet…

Then it's a good thing that she hasn't. Bear in mind that the formula has been in the makings for 50 odd years and has probably been tested at several points. It's still going to be a while before Kikyo puts the cream on sale.

I've checked the dictionary and various sources and all the words that you use -ARE- incorrect.

Hokie-dokie, you were asking for this droog.

You are quite possibly the most nadmenny nadsat I have ever had the radosity to meet. A nazz if you will. You talk total chepooka. The messel that English is black and white boggles the rasoodock. An oomny veck (and if you are a cheena, I think an appypolly loggy is in order) would poni by now that English is starry and diverse. Slooshy to me when I skazat there is no need to be sarky. It is raz that you poni there is a world outside your own gulliver. Litso the facts that English is a diverse linglehip that has undergone thousands of years of evolkution in different comminents and it's a wonder we even poni one another. Or do we? Read a biblika and expand your mozg – I suggest "A Clockwork Orange" – unless you risk physically oobivating yourself with such strenuous prohibities.

I salute you, wazzko, and hope you one day grow a new mozg synapse or dva. It would be quite polezny.

Write back and tell me that all of the above rugna is total nonsense, and I will be forced to slap you with a wet fish, as this is acceptable _published_ literature by Anthony Burgess. Buy it in a bookshop or google it online and you'll see for yourself.

Now do you understand that not every piece of English literature fits the one mould?


	6. A Revelation

**Author's Notes**: I know, I lied about the title of this chapter. Sorry!

* * *

**Zero-G**

**Chapter Five**

**A Revelation**

"I'm going to miss my funeral."

Inuyasha looked up from his task of screwing the table leg back onto the table and graced the captive schoolgirl with a frown. "It's not your funeral, you know. It's the funeral of some other chit who got bumped the same night as you."

Kagome sat on the sofa, watching him as he went back to work. "I wonder who she was…?"

"Does it matter?" He shrugged blithely, trying to fit the screws back in place.

"Yes," Kagome replied, as if it was the most obvious thing in the world - which it was. "She probably has parents who are wondering where she's gone. I mean, how would you like it if your daughter went missing and had actually been killed and was being given a stranger's funeral?"

"I don't have kids. At least, none that I know of. And they'd better be male because girls are just pains in the ass. And the child support costs less." He continued tinkering with the table screws. "You've really fucked this up, you know?"

"I was too busy trying to get out of this place to take care," she told him evenly. "Listen, I'm not about to make a run for it - not with how speedy you are whenever I turn my back on you - so you might as well take these cuffs off."

"I might as well," he agreed, but made no move to help her out.

Kagome blew out a sigh and dropped her hands against her knees with a 'clink'. "I wonder what my family is doing right now…"

Inuyasha rolled his eyes and ignored her, trying instead to concentrate on his fiddly job. He may have been able to take out a UN ambassador at two hundred feet, and he may have been able to single-handedly take down a whole unit of the military's 'finest' in the space of thirty seconds without even a scratch to show for it… but for the life of him, he could not perform DIY.

"Want me to give it a try?" Kagome offered from the sofa.

"No," he snapped back.

"But you're struggling. Your fingers are too fat."

"And yours are anorexic," he retorted.

"All the better for delicate tasks." She stood up and made her way across the room to kneel beside him. "Give it here," She snatched a screw out of his hand, "now I'll hold it and you screw it."

Her slender fingers were just trim enough to hold the screw in place, and with a snort of contempt, Inuyasha took the screwdriver and began spinning the piece of metal back into the table.

"There, see?" Kagome sat back and let him turn the table back the right way. "Don't be afraid to admit you need help."

"Likewise." He tossed the screwdriver into the corner of the room with the rest of the junk there and dusted his hands. "When are you going to accept that your cousin is a lying, cheating scumbag?"

"When she tells me that she's a lying, cheating scumbag." And even then, she'd have her doubts.

Inuyasha sighed and scratched his head. He knew of one sure way to cast a very dark shadow of doubt in this girl's mind, but it meant leaving her and heading for Coalescence headquarters. Now that she'd proven herself to be a regular Houdini, perhaps leaving her alone wasn't such a good idea…

But the pros outweighed the cons.

"I'm going to go out for a while – but not for long, so you can wipe that happy smile off your face," he addressed her, before snatching his jacket off the hook on the front door. "And just so you know, I'm going to lock this door."

_Like that will stop me_, Kagome thought smugly. One good kick and it would probably cave in.

"This is a bad neighbourhood - these doors are built to withstand all kinds of knocks and battering." He rapped a fist on the door and the wood gave a quiet 'tap tap'. That was the sound of a thick, sturdy door… not the flimsy panel of wood that she'd originally assumed.

Kagome gulped back her shattered hope.

"The same goes for the windows," he told her. "We're two stories up, the windows are nailed shut and if, by some chance, you manage to get them open, a nice big drop onto the main road awaits you."

"Alright, I get the picture," Kagome grumbled at him, slumping back onto the sofa to mope.

"Good." He opened the door and stepped out. "I'll see you in an hour or two."

The door closed behind him and a loud 'click' informed Kagome that it had been locked securely. She gave a moan of despair and squeezed her eyes shut, waiting for the telltale rev of his motorbike.

When it had faded into the distance, she got up and began clawing at the door handle for all she was worth. Next came the shoulder bash, where she threw her weight against the door as hard as she could in the hopes that it would pop open. All this did was give her a bruised joint, so then she lay down on the floor and kicked it with her feet.

It was still no use, so the next stage was to scream herself hoarse in an attempt to alert the neighbours to her plight. Either they weren't home, or they were all like Mrs Saito - deaf and oblivious. Probably the latter, if it was true that birds of a feather roosted in the same tree.

But Kagome wasn't done.

Picking up a pot of coffee granules, she positioned herself nicely and lobbed it at the window.

The glass pane shattered on impact, and the pot went sailing out of view. Kagome quickly scrambled after it and leaned out of the hole she'd just made. At this point, she discovered Inuyasha had been right. There was no feasible way that she would be able to get out of that window and down onto the pavement safely - even without her cuffs on. But that didn't mean that there weren't pedestrians there to hear her.

"Help!" she screamed at the top of her lungs, mainly aiming for the young woman who was walking on the opposite side of the road. "You've got to help me! I've been kidnapped and I'm being held against my will! Call the police!"

But all the woman did was glance once in her direction, expressionless to a fault, and continued walking until she was out of sight.

Here was where Kagome hit her main problem. It wasn't that people didn't care… they just didn't _believe _her.

After a few more failed attempts at trying to gain the sympathy of the scant few pedestrians that happened to be passing by, Kagome gave up and sat down at the table. As far as she could see, she'd run out of options. No one seemed to hear her shouts, and all her exits were barred. She was well and truly trapped.

Kagome glanced at the window with a wince.

Inuyasha was _so _going to kill her when he got back.

* * *

"Don't worry, my pretties. It won't be long before you feed, and then you can be at your optimum strength to spawn a new generation that will conquer all!"

Jaken popped his head round Naraku's office door, wheezing as per usual, and disturbing his boss' reverie. "Mr Naraku, sir, Inuyasha is here."

"Do I need to remind you to _knock _before entering, toadman?"

"That's Jaken, sir…"

"And that's the door." Naraku went back to brooding over his sea-monkeys. "Try again."

Respectfully, Jaken pulled the door shut again and tapped his moist knuckles on the wood. "Come in," came the voice on the other side, and Jaken cleared his throat as he opened the door for a second time. "Mr Naraku, sir, Inuyasha is here."

"Excellent." Naraku pushed the plastic tank of sea-monkeys to one side and faced Jaken. "Bring him in."

Jaken disappeared hastily and reappeared a few minutes later with a much taller hanyou in tow. Inuyasha all but stepped on the small toadman as he pushed his way into the office and dropped himself in the guest chair across from his boss. "Well?" he demanded with a rush of breath as he slapped his hands against his knees. "What do you think?"

Naraku scratched an eyebrow as Jaken limped out of the room. "You only killed three people."

"Yeah - but loads got injured," reasoned the younger hanyou, giving a shrug. "How are your sea monkeys, by the way?"

"Flourishing."

"That's great." Inuyasha tried to avoid his boss' steely gaze.

"Mm," Naraku hummed. "I think perhaps you could have timed yourself better. Saturday mornings are the busiest of the week. Quite odd that _only _three people died. The impact wasn't quite as disastrous as I'd hoped, and we only made front page news on three tabloids."

"And who exactly kicked it?" Inuyasha inquired nonchalantly.

"One middle-aged man, one twenty-two year old woman and one mother of four."

"What about the baby?" Inuyasha narrowed his eyes. "I'm sure there was a baby."

"Yes, I heard there was a baby as well," Naraku looked down at his desk and drew a finger across an old scuff mark, "but it seems to have survived."

Inuyasha shrugged and gave the window an apathetic glance. "Can't win 'em all, I suppose."

"Indeed. A dead child would have generated a lot more uproar," sighed the older man before spinning around in his chair to stare out the tinted windows. "Tell Emi at front desk that you need paying. She'll give you the cash."

"Then I'm gone." Inuyasha pushed himself out of the chair and headed for the door.

"Oh, and Inuyasha…" Naraku suddenly spoke up, "Be careful, Inuyasha. The police have been especially crafty at picking off our agents recently. We've lost three men this past week."

Inuyasha snorted. "As if I'm stupid enough to let them catch me."

"It's not a matter of stupidity," Naraku cut him off abruptly. "The police have captured one of our operatives and is squeezing names and addresses out of him. As soon as I find out who they have… I'm going to send you to kill the squealer."

"You don't know who it is?" Inuyasha paused and turned back towards his boss. "Well, who's missing?"

"Nineteen people. Eighteen of which are dead and lost. One of which is a traitor." Naraku gave a mild smile. "But it's only a matter of time before we find out who is who."

"Yeah, well I hope it isn't anyone who knows me." Inuyasha dug a hand into his pocket as he opened the door. "I don't want to move house again."

"I'll contact you if I think of another job." Naraku called after him.

"Yeah, whatever." Inuyasha shut the door and rapidly descended through the building to the front desk.

Emi was there, filing away nimbly when he arrived. "What is it?" she asked distractedly.

"I want my money."

The kitsune sighed as she pushed her glasses up her nose to regard him. "How much?"

"Seventy thousand," he responded as he poked at a small stack of business cards on the desk.

"Alright, just hold on." The harried receptionist stood and moved towards a door behind her. "You better not be lying about the amount again…"

She disappeared from sight, no doubt to collect the money and return with a brimming envelope. Inuyasha glanced around, wondering how exactly to go about his current mission. He needed to find incriminating evidence against Kikyo… something that would convince her stupid cousin that she was evil.

And that came in the form of the registry book…

After another quick glance around to make sure he was alone, Inuyasha reached over the desk and snatched up the large black book that lay open beside the computer. He hastily began snapping through the overused pages, trying to locate a certain name under a certain date.

He stopped short when he found it.

"Kikyo Higurashi… appointment with Mr Naraku at eleven fifteen on Wednesday," he read aloud, smirking to himself as he tapped a claw against the name. "Perfect."

He neatly plucked the entire page from its bindings and set the book back down on the desk in exactly the same position as before. He was tucking the incriminating piece of paper into his jacket pocket just as Emi arrived back through the door.

If she noticed him fiddling with his pocket, she didn't seem to suspect him of anything. She simply handed over the chunky envelope and sat down at her desk again. "There. Don't spend it all at once."

"Wouldn't dream of it." He tucked the envelope out of sight and let the busy receptionist get back to work.

He had everything he needed: money, proof and an indefinite break from work. Inuyasha allowed a small smile to grace his lips as he left the building and entered the multi-storey car park. Now he could concentrate on dealing with the stupid Higurashi girl…

His bike was waiting in exactly the same place he'd left it. But still, he took no chances and checked to make sure the tyres were still inflated and the seat was correctly screwed on. Kouga was always on the lookout to make Inuyasha's life and health a difficulty – and Inuyasha could trust the wolf to have come along and tampered with the bike in some way to get 'revenge'. Inuyasha had only made the mistake of not checking once, and he had the scar to prove it. The signpost on Route 37 also had a dent of commemoration.

_Seems_ _ok,_ Inuyasha thought as he straightened and removed his helmet from where it was strapped inside one of the panniers. He was about to lower the headgear over his ears when he heard the steady clicking of heels on concrete.

A mixture of amusement, dread and excitement passed through his heart, but he never once allowed it to show on his face. He went with the humour of the moment and turned casually to greet the woman approaching him. "Ahh," he said, as if pleasantly surprised. "Look what the cat dragged in."

Kikyo folded her arms, pretending to be offended. "'Pot', 'kettle' and 'black' come to mind." She came to a stop beside his bike and rested her hand against the handlebars admiringly.

"What's with all the black?" he asked her, noting the conservative black dress coupled with a wide brimmed black hat and a matching bag.

"I'm in mourning. My cousin died, don't you know?" She shifted her stance to draw his attention to her feet. "What do you think of the boots? Guchini. Expensive as hell, but that's nothing compared to the deals I'm being offered right now for G-Force. It's not even on the market yet, and I'm already raking in the money."

"I'm so happy for you." He eyed the boots dryly. "What did you want anyway?"

She scoffed and flicked her lashes at him as she turned her attention to the bike again. "It's always about you, isn't it? I'm actually here to see Naraku."

"Secret lover's meeting?" He raised an eyebrow.

"Jealous?" She smirked.

"Slightly nauseous actually…"

"Then you'll be happy to know it's just business. I need a few goons to do a bit of spying for me." She tapped a nail against the motorbike's frame. "Interesting ride."

"Like it?" He grinned. "The girls in your family must be drawn to diesel engines."

Kikyo straightened sharply, whipping her hand away as if she'd been scalded. "What do you mean by that?" she asked, her eyebrows taking a sudden downturn.

"Guess who wanted a ride right before I whacked her." He gave a self-deprecating bow. "And I, being the gentleman I am, was only too happy to oblige."

Kikyo shook her head, but she didn't seem that angry. "You really are a paedophile, aren't you?"

_I wish everyone would stop saying that, _he thought as he blew a mental sigh, but schooled his expression terrifically. "When's her funeral?"

Kikyo gave a mild shrug. "Tomorrow afternoon in the local cemetery. Aunt Mai has just about invited everyone along - including all the families of other victims like Kagome. She's under the impression that this was a random attack." She rolled her eyes at her own aunt's ignorance. "It'll be closed casket, of course, seeing as how you messed her body up so badly."

"I got carried away," he raised his hands defensively, "big deal. Let it go already."

"So flippant," Kikyo breezed and moved around the vehicle to drag her hand across his back from one shoulder to the other. "You have no idea what kind of trauma you've caused my family. You don't even care, do you?"

"Not really." He slid an indifferent glance towards her. "But any damage done to your family, Kikyo, is your doing. I'm just your tool. You're the murderer."

Her smile was polite and carefree as she showed him her palms. "I see no blood, do you?" She took his hand quickly and held it to her nose. "You, on the other hand, reek of it."

Inuyasha pulled away from her abruptly.

She laughed lightly. "Oh, don't be like that, Inuyasha. I don't see why you should try and dictate morals to me when you murder, terrorise and steal on a daily basis." She cocked her head. "I've only killed one person - albeit someone I loved - but how many have you killed? God, I bet you've lost count."

"You never lose count," he replied stonily, wondering when she was going to let him leave.

"So speaks the long dead remnants of Inuyasha's heart." She gave an unladylike snort. "Tell me, do you have a conscience, or do you just like to bitch a lot?"

"I never lose count because there's a chart outside Naraku's office." He jerked his chin towards the building entrance behind him. He gave a wry grin and said, "I've made sixty-two kills. A star on the chart for each. That's average."

"You people compete with each other?" Kikyo's brows pinched in disgust. "That's even more twisted than I thought."

Inuyasha shrugged. "And here I though killing your own little cousin was twisted."

The young businesswoman just waved a hand to disregard him. "That was just business. My career comes before my family, and that's that."

"Well, whenever you decide to bump off your dear old mother, you know who to call." Inuyasha made to pull on his helmet, only too happy to get out of there.

Kikyo's hand on his arm stilled him. "What's the rush, Inuyasha? My appointment isn't for ten minutes, and you don't have anywhere important to be…" She dropped her hand as he lowered the helmet. "Care to catch up on old times?"

And yet, after all this time of hating her and dreaming of the number of ways that he could dismember her, humiliate her, and punish her for all their 'old times'… Inuyasha still found it hard to deny her requests.

_Oh, Kikyo… you'll be the death of me._

* * *

Kagome chewed her lip anxiously as she stuck the blade of the knife back into the gap between the front door and its frame. So far, with a little jostling, she'd managed to figure out a way to slide open the bottom lock. The top one was proving far more difficult, and her frustration mounted with every time her knife slipped unsuccessfully against the metal bar.

"I hate you…" she confided in the door. "If it wasn't for you, I would be home by now."

The familiar roar of a diesel engine interrupted Kagome's conversation, and she paused in her work to listen. It droned closer, and she hoped and prayed that it would simply pass by… but alas, the engine cut off right outside, and Kagome was forced to realised that Inuyasha was back again.

She quickly rushed back to the cutlery drawer and deposited the knife back amongst its friends. Then she raced back to the sofa and draped herself over it nonchalantly, as if she hadn't moved since he'd left. It took a few more adjustments before she finally decided upon the perfect 'innocent' and 'resigned' hostage look.

That was how Inuyasha found her when he arrived through the door… and he would have bought it completely, if it wasn't for the state of his flat.

He literally dropped his helmet in shock and utter horror. "What… have… you… _done?!"_ he gasped.

"Oh…" Kagome looked around sheepishly. "I… uh… did a little cleaning while you were gone." _To try and distract you from the broken window_.

"A little, huh?" he echoed, staring around the room in amazement. He could actually _see _the floor! The random junk of boxes, old plates, magazines, and the occasional pile of clothes had been cleaned away completely. "What did you do with it all?"

"Your clothes are upstairs, and the rest of it I put in the closet over there. You also had a vacuum cleaner in there, did you know?"

"I didn't even know I had a closet." Inuyasha stared at the little door suspiciously. It had been hidden behind a large piece of old gate until today. "So you did all this… in two hours?" He'd thought that it would take at least three weeks to even scratch the surface of that old mess. It was a project that he'd planned to do someday… the kind of project that nobody ever got round to doing. He'd thought about hiring someone to do the cleaning for him, but he was sure that the flat would be stamped as a biological hazard and no one would dare enter again.

"Yep." Kagome said breezily. "This was actually quite a nice place to live. I mean, right until you moved in, obviously."

"Obviously." By now Inuyasha's gaze had landed square on the broken window above the kitchen sink. "What's that about?"

Kagome had suddenly grown very interested in the material of the sofa. She avoided his gaze and fiddled distractedly. Eventually, when she realised that he was still staring at her, she met his gaze. "Uh… what?" she said, as if she hadn't been listening.

"The window. What happened?" he restated.

"Oh… uh… these people on the street below just threw a brick through the window." she made up wildly. "Yeah, just like that. Out of the blue."

"Uh huh." His chin dropped, but his penetrating gaze continued. "And where's the brick?"

"I threw it back." Making up lies wasn't difficult. Making them realistic and convincing was another matter entirely.

"So you weren't just trying to find a way to escape?" A small smile was playing on his face, and Kagome didn't appreciate that he was amused by her bad cover story.

"Of course not!" she snapped. "I've given up on that!"

"Oh, sorry, what was I thinking?" He turned to lock the door again and then moved to drape his jacket over one of the kitchen chairs.

"Don't do that!" Kagome leapt up. "That's what the hook is for!"

Inuyasha followed her pointed finger and spied the silver hook on the back of the door. Slightly perturbed at being ordered around in his own home, Inuyasha hung up his jacket on the hook like a good little hanyou. He pulled a sheet of paper from the pocket. "Here," he said, handing her the scrap. "Read it."

"What am I reading?" Kagome glanced over the piece of paper without really taking in the information. She held it aloft to give him a questioning look.

"Just read it," he told her forcefully, pushing the scrap of paper back towards her before moving away to inspect the cleanliness of his flat.

But in his wake, he left an odd scent…

Kagome sniffed discreetly as it triggered old feelings and stirred memories that she didn't recall. Then it was gone, and Kagome was left flummoxed. "Are you wearing perfume?" she asked.

"Just read the damn note, woman!" He stomped off upstairs and out of sight.

Kagome huffed to herself and glanced at the scrap of paper with annoyance. She recognised it easily as a page torn out of some kind of register. There were names and times and strike-through appointments that had been cancelled.

"What the hell am I supposed to be looking at?" she asked herself grumpily as she scanned the list of names. She turned the page over and skimmed the other side… and stopped short when she came to a familiar name.

Kikyo Higurashi.

Kagome frowned slightly and her lips puckered in thought. Why was Kikyo's name on this registry page? And who was Naraku when he was home? What did this have to do with anything?

"What does this have to do with anything?!" Kagome yelled up the stairs.

Inuyasha's muffled voice shouted back, "What does the date say?!"

"Wednesday the fourteenth!" Kagome did the math. "That was last Wednesday!"

"The day someone tried to kill you!"

Kagome glared at the bottom of the stairs. "Come down here before I get laryngitis!"

A few moments later, he reappeared, this time dressed in a new shirt. Kagome eyed him enviously. It was alright for him… he had at least five clean shirts to wear. Kagome, on the other hand, had been wearing the same uniform for the last couple of days, and she had her suspicions that she was beginning to smell as bad as the old sock she'd found under the sofa.

"Wednesday. Your cousin met with Naraku precisely seven hours before you were killed," her captive told her as he snapped his hair back over his shoulder in a very loose weave.

"So?" Kagome was pretty sure that Kikyo often met with a lot of people every day. She _was _a very busy woman.

"Naraku is the leader of the Coalescence." Inuyasha flopped down on the sofa beside her, pinching the bridge of his nose the way her father had done after a hard day's work. She noticed that he now smelled very strongly of male deodorant… any lingering perfume had been smothered. "She paid that guy a hell of a lot to have you bumped off the same day."

Kagome glanced back down at the paper with renewed vision. Kikyo's name seemed to stand out in bold compared to the other names, and suddenly it seemed fake. "You're lying. You could have just mocked this up while you were out."

"Why would I bother?" he sighed, eyes closed.

"Because you're trying to convince me to stay here!"

"True. But I'm not lying." He jabbed a thumb towards the torn page. "You worked in a salon, right? You must have dealt with the appointment book. Do you honestly believe that it looks fake?"

He had a point. Kagome had already noticed that the ink on the page wasn't consistent, like the writer had been switching pens over a period of time. Some of the ink was faded on certain lines, but on others it was more fresh. It certainly didn't look fake, and the curving feminine handwriting didn't resemble Inuyasha's (from what she'd seen on a few post-it notes lying around the flat).

"Do you understand now?" Inuyasha rubbed a hand over his face. "Your cousin made that appointment and paid Naraku. It's as simple as that. If you leave this place and let your family know that you're alive, Kikyo will be one of the first to know. She'll have you killed within twenty-four hours by another jerk who won't miss this time."

Kagome said nothing.

"Your best bet is to just stay low for now, wait until the whole affair has blown over. Let Kikyo have her cake and enjoy her profits from Zero-G. The happier she is, the less attention she'll be paying to the street. I'll take you out of the city - out of the country if you like - and give you the money to start a new life. I know people who can get you a new passport and serial number. You might like it abroad… I hear there's still a few countries left that let you wear colours on weekends. It'll be great. You'd just have to learn a new language, that's all."

Inuyasha didn't have to look at her to know she was shaking.

"So cheer up… it's not the end of the world. Just the end of your current life." He stood with a yawn. "Want peanuts? I do. I'm starved."

The kitchen was lovely and tidy for a change, and he even had a clean bowl waiting by the sink. He nabbed it and emptied a packet of peanuts into it, despite them having passed their use-by-date several weeks ago. "I hope you don't mind salted," he said as he went back into the lounging half of the room. He punched the power button of the TV before slouching back down next to Kagome.

By now, the schoolgirl had dropped the piece of paper and had the balls of her palms pressed against her eyes. Curiously, she was still trembling. Inuyasha popped a few munchies into his mouth before offering her the bowl. "Want a peanut?"

Quick as a flash, Kagome's hand lashed out and shoved the bowl away, sending a small tidal wave of nuts flying. They landed on the carpet, on the sofa, down the gaps in the cushions and mostly over Inuyasha's lap. He paused a moment to check that there was still a satisfactory amount of nuts in the bowl before continuing to eat, paying no mind to the mess. "Suit yourself," he shrugged, and jabbed at the remote control.

"-_further complications arose when not only one wife, but two arrived at the funeral ceremony of Miroku Hoshi. Bitch slapping ensued…_"

"Oh yeah, your funeral's tomorrow, isn't it?" Inuyasha nudged the silent girl. "Closed casket. Lots of orchids and roses and that crap. Apparently, a whole load of people are invited. You could probably gate crash the party if you put your mind to it."

Kagome made an odd sort of strangled noise and suddenly pitched against him, nearly upsetting his bowl of snack food for the second time. "Dammit, girl, if you'd wanted some then you should have just asked," he grouched. But she didn't seem to be after his nuts. Instead, she seemed more content to slide further against him till her hot face was pressed against his chest and her small hands were knotting in his shirt.

Ah… she was crying.

_Heck… this is awkward_, Inuyasha thought as the girl continued to shake quietly against his chest while his arms remained aloft in the air, not quite sure of where they were supposed to be.

He figured it out eventually by sliding one arm over the back rest behind him and resting the bowl of peanuts against the girl's back. He contentedly settled back down to watch the rest of the news program.

_Much better_, he thought to himself. _Now I can reach the nuts._

* * *

**Next Update: **Chapter Six: Chapter title? I ain't got a clue anymore…

* * *

**Fackyews...**

****

**How long is this story going to be?**

I haven't the faintest. I'm aiming for around fifteen chapters.

**And how old is Inuyasha?**

Old enough to ride a bike with no training wheels and too young to qualify for retirement.

**Are you serious?**

Yes.

**When is Inuyasha gonna get with Kagome?**

Patience, grasshopper.

**WRITE A LEMON!!!! YEAH!!!**

Ok. "A lemon". There you go.

**No, seriously - write a lemon!**

Seriously, no. And if you're reading this story in the hopes that there may eventually be a lemon, you'd better hit the back button and never look back. The most you'll ever get in this story is very very mild lime. VERY mild. It would be so diluted that you'd hardly be able to taste the citrus.

**Is something going on between Inu and Kikyo, or is that just some strange dream I had?**

Mmm... maybe both?


	7. A Nail in the Coffin

**Author'****s Notes: **Thank you all for waiting for this chapter. I got a litte delayed over Christmas and new year with lots of relatives coming over to visit and take me out shopping (oh, the horror!), but now things are back to normal.

* * *

**Zero-G**

**Chapter Six**

**A Nail in the Coffin**

Kagome woke with a yawn and a stretch the next morning. For one blissful moment, she thought she was back at home in her bed… but the instant she opened her eyes, the reality crashed down over her head once again.

She was still lying on the sofa where she'd fallen asleep yesterday. The last thing she remembered was crying… and a certain someone taking advantage of her position by resting a bowl of peanuts against her back. And why had she been crying?

Because she'd just remembered that Kikyo was capable of more terrible things than she'd originally presumed.

When Kikyo had sabotaged her sponge cake by sprinkling a fine topping of worms and leaves on the mixture while it was baking in the oven, was that really what her mother had called 'friendly competition'? When Kikyo had told a five year old Kagome to go out and buy an ice cream from the vendor two streets away, across two roads of heavy traffic, had that really been in Kagome's best interests and personal safety?

What about the time when Kikyo had pushed her into the canal? Everyone, including Kikyo, had sworn that it was an accident… and Kagome had believed them all. But did the fact that she had just said that Kikyo's skirt looked like a belt before she'd fallen have anything to do with the 'accident'?

And was there something odd about the way that Kagome's presents went missing – usually on the day after Christmas when Kikyo went home with her parents? Particularly the presents that Kikyo had already expressed interest in?

But it hadn't always been like that, otherwise Kagome was certain that she would have hated her older cousin. Undoubtedly, there had been times when Kikyo had taken her to the park, and whenever Kagome had fallen and cut herself, Kikyo had always been there to patch her up and kiss the injury better. It was only last Christmas that Kikyo had sent her a laptop computer of her very own!

Her cousin seemed to have boundless generosity one minute and then bitter spitefulness the next. Did that mean she was capable of murder?

Then Kagome thought of something even more horrific.

_Oh my god… I cried myself to sleep in that jerk'__s lap!_

It was almost too embarrassing to dwell on. At some point in her angst-ridden reverie, she'd slipped from his chest into his lap. She even remembered him muttering something along the lines of "Careful with those fingers, pet," before she'd passed out.

"Gah… I'm such a bimbo…" Kagome pressed her hands against her face and slumped back against the sofa. She peeked through her fingers to survey the living room and suddenly realised that she was very alone.

The cuffs still chained her wrists together, and the door was probably still locked – but Inuyasha had gone.

"Hello?" Kagome called tentatively. "Mr Kidnapper Guy?"

She received no response, so Kagome guessed that he had probably gone to work again. This gave her another delicious opportunity to _try _and escape. Again.

Pushing off the sofa, Kagome padded over to the door to check that it was indeed locked like she'd suspected. Her suspicions proved correct when the handle refused to budge. She gave a frustrated sigh and kicked the door angrily.

_He'__ll forget one day, _she reassured herself, _and then you can escape. Just lull him into a false sense of security._

Kagome pottered aimlessly around the flat for the next couple of hours, checking all the nooks and crannies that she could find in case she stumbled upon a miraculous escape tunnel. She checked the windows again, just in case the pavement outside had grown any closer than yesterday, but found to her disappointment that it hadn't. And someone, namely Inuyasha, had taped a black bin bag over the kitchen window.

The schoolgirl stopped her search to lean against the wall next to the fridge. She thought carefully about her options as she tapped her knuckles against the hardboard.

So maybe Kikyo _had _tried to do away with her… but that didn't mean that her _whole _family was out to get her. She knew for a fact that her mother, brother and grandfather would never do anything to harm her. Kikyo was the black sheep anyway – she'd probably planned it alone. So why was this guy trying to stop her from contacting her family altogether? Surely, the moment she explained the situation to her mother, they would go to the police and have the matter investigated. The police would protect her, right? Even if the Coalescence had tried to bump her off on Kikyo's behalf, then they wouldn't try the same thing twice or risk getting implicated…

But maybe it wasn't that simple.

Kagome gave the wall a hearty tap of annoyance, then stiffened as the sound echoed back to her.

Was that wall hollow?

What was on the other side?

If Kagome's memory served her correctly, then the catwoman's apartment lay on the other side. A few good blows from something like a sledgehammer – or a metal table leg – and the wall would probably crumble.

Without knowing exactly how much time she had left before Inuyasha returned, Kagome leapt for the cutlery drawer and drew out her trusty friend – the knife. She immediately began attacking the table again, whitling away at the screws she'd softened up the last time she'd done this. It was only a few seconds before she could yank the leg free and let the table pitch sideways. Then it was back to the wall, hacking away at the thin plasterboard and making promising dents within the first few blows.

She was so caught up in striking the wall that she failed to register the sound of the motorbike pulling up outside, or the sound of unhurried footsteps in the hall, or even the front door being opened behind her.

"Damn."

The one word had her spinning around guiltily, wielding the table leg like a weapon. At the sight of Inuyasha, she only tightened her grip.

"I never know what to expect of you." He dumped a bag on the sofa and moved around the dismantled table to reach her. "You're either scrubbing the floor or creating mass destruction."

"Stay back! I'm warning you!" Kagome hissed as he drew closer.

"You know, from anyone else that would have sounded threatening." He smiled mildly as he caught the table leg and wrenched it out of her hands. "From you, it's just cute."

_Bastard_! Kagome seethed privately as he stowed the table leg on top of the fridge before heading back to the sofa.

"Here. I got you something." He picked up the white plastic bag and tossed it across the room to her.

Kagome fumbled as she caught it. "What is this?"

"A dress," he answered simply at the same moment she pulled it from the bag.

Kagome eyed it with distaste. "I don't like dresses." She preferred to wear skirts. Then again, the school uniform offered very little choice in the matter. But this one was even more conservative than what she was wearing at that moment – albeit a lot cleaner.

The dress in her hands bore long sleeves and a small rigid collar. It seemed close fitting down to the waist, with single button pockets on each breast, and then splayed out from her hips to her knees. A typical style in black and much more… _adult_… than Kagome liked. She turned an unimpressed glare on her captor. "What do I look like, a seventy-five years old?"

"There's _so _many ways that I could answer that," he told her as he dropped onto the sofa with a sigh. "You should be more grateful. Do you know how much that thing cost?"

Kagome held up a plastic tag that was attached to the dress' sleeve. "Why is the security tag still on it?"

"Uh… no reason." He clasped his fingers together and cracked the knuckles.

"I see," she said coldly, glaring at him. "Well, you can just take this straight back. It's illegal for me to wear anything other than my uniform."

"But as of now you don't attend school, so you're free to wear what you want," he said, yawning to himself. "Besides, if I took it back we'd be late for your funeral."

Kagome stilled. "What?"

"That's your funeral dress," he informed her breezily. "And you better scrub up because we're leaving in ten minutes."

* * *

"This is screwed up on way too many levels." Kagome hissed as she tugged at her tight collar.

Ten minutes had given her only enough time to rush into the bathroom and change her clothes. She would have preferred a decent change of underwear, or at least a shower. Blood still stained her hair - which was in need of a wash anyway – and she had resorted to spraying herself with 'Lynx' for lack of any girly perfume.

But at that moment, she didn't really care…

She was about to see her family again for the first time in nearly a week. She missed them all so much that it was painful. The homesickness made her irritable and depressed, and skipping a shower and clean undies were only a small price to pay for the chance to get in touch with her loved ones.

However, Inuyasha had other plans.

"When we get there, you are _not _permitted to talk to your family," he lectured as he carefully combed her hair back into a bun. Compared to her mother, who had been plaiting her hair since she was a toddler, he was 98 percent gentler. "Talk to them and you will be dead come evening."

"What?!" Kagome shrieked. "You can't forbid me from talking to my family! They have to know I'm alive!"

"Their ignorance is the only thing keeping you alive," he reprimanded. "If your mother found out, how long do you think it would be before Kikyo found out too?"

"But they're suffering!" she ground out, exasperated. "They're grieving when there's no need!"

"Kagome, you can't show yourself to them," he snapped out. "Even if you told them to keep the truth from Kikyo, it would only be a matter of time before it leaked to her. Even if they tried to get the police on her, she would find out before they caught her and she'd order you dead. Your only chance is to forget them all and start a new life."

"Then why are you taking me to my own funeral?" complained Kagome, sagging in the kitchen chair. "Are you just trying to torture me? Bringing my family so close but not letting me touch them?"

"Even if I was to send you away into hiding right this very minute, you would ignore my warnings and go back to them anyway. I know you would." He eased an elastic band around her bun for lack of a real hair clip. "At least this way you get to see them and say your personal farewells… under my supervision."

"I don't believe this…" she griped. "There's no way I'm going into hiding. If what you say is true then I'm going to fight this!"

"Fine. Go ahead. But like I've said, if you ever come clean about your survival, my dead body is what will break your fall into the ditch."

"But why would they kill you?" Kagome turned to frown at him. "All you did was save my life…"

"That's my crime." He shrugged nonchalantly and handed her the black hat and veil that he'd 'bought' alongside the dress. "But you won't give yourself away at the funeral."

Kagome narrowed her eyes. "What makes you so sure?"

He smiled without humour. "Because this is perhaps your one best chance to find out for yourself what Kikyo's _real _personality is like." He took the hat and slanted it carefully on her head, so that the veil fell across her face. "Now, even if your family won't see your face, there's still a chance they'll recognise you."

Kagome turned her head away, thoroughly annoyed at his attempts to make herself and her family as unhappy as possible.

"They'll probably recognise the way your walk, or your posture, or even the way you hold your head. You've got a habit of slouching to one side with your head tilted to the left, so you have to watch yourself-"

"You've notice my habits already?!" She whirled on him. "But you're like the most unobservant person _ever_!"

"Yeah, and you also have this habit of grinding your teeth when you're mad… so that's pretty much constantly." He walked away from her to fetch his jacket. "Anyway, those heels that I gave you should eliminate the walking problem, but try and sashay your hips a little."

Kagome's teeth clenched. "Sashay?" she repeated.

"Yep." Inuyasha nodded as he shrugged into his black bike jacket. "The way you walk is a little straight and direct, quite quick with not nearly enough hip movement. So try and walk slowly," he informed her.

Kagome stood, glaring at him, then proceeded to walk across the room – about seven strides in all. With each step, she swung her hips and deliberately moved slowly and seductively.

Inuyasha seemed less than impressed. "Yes, alright, but try not to look like prostitute who's turned up at the wrong party."

With a loud sigh, the schoolgirl jammed the veil over her head and folded her arms crossly. "I can't believe this-"

"Ah ah!" Inuyasha raised a finger. "You're standing the 'Kagome' way."

Kagome stiffened and was acutely aware that he was right. Her head _was _tipped to the side and she rested most of her weight on her left foot with her right knee bent. Consciously, she corrected herself until she was standing perfectly straight. "Is that better?"

"It would be better if you didn't fold your arms like a grumpy child at a funeral, but I won't be picky," he said loftily. "Now, I don't want you speaking to anyone under any circumstances, but in the off chance that someone forces you to converse with them, it would be good to adopt a slight accent. Just to throw them off." Inuyasha moved forward to straighten the veil that she'd applied messily over her hair. "Maybe a southern one would do nicely."

"Whatever…" she muttered with a roll of the eyes.

"Ok, we're already late." Inuyasha looked at his watch. "Let's get going."

* * *

Kagome stumbled for what was probably the eighteenth time since they'd left the flat. The heels she'd been given were beginning to grate on her heels, leaving blisters, and turning her walk from a seductive wiggle into a pained hobble. "Whose shoes are these?"

"Ex-girlfriend," Inuyasha responded, hands shoved deep into his pockets as he nonchalantly watched the street for danger.

"They remind me of this pair that Kikyo used to have." Kagome paused for a moment to adjust the shoes. "You always knew when she was going out on a date because she'd wear a pair of monstrosities just like these and she'd always complain about blisters."

"Hm… _interesting_," he intoned in a voice that implied it was _not_.

Kagome sniffed. "You wouldn't understand because you're a man."

His fingers touched her elbow, causing her to look down at their point of contact with irritation. "We're here," he said suddenly. Kagome followed his gaze and saw that the entrance of the cemetery was only a hundred yards up the street from their position. There were several cars parked on the curb and a dozen or so people dressed in black, waiting at the archway. A service was in session…

Kagome made a noise akin to a whimper, and Inuyasha gave her an encouraging nudge. "Your chin's wobbling."

The schoolgirl did her best to remain inconspicuous as she approached the cemetery entrance with her kidnapper, but her determination began to dissolve as she noticed that her grandfather was one of the men standing by the gate.

"Don't look at him," a voice advised near her ear.

Kagome frowned slightly, wondering how on earth he'd known who she was looking at. Did he know that the man was her grandfather?

As they drew closer and her grandpa's eyes landed on them, Kagome was almost certain that she would be recognised instantly. In fact, she was vastly disappointed when nothing happened, and her grandpa only nodded in greeting as they passed. "Thank you for coming," was all he said. Kagome couldn't help but stare at him as Inuyasha pulled her through the gate. The old man looked worn out and pale, a sign that grief had taken a heavy toll on him.

It was hard for Kagome to stop herself from tearing off the veil to see life colour his sallow cheeks again. One tug of the elbow from Inuyasha reminded her that she had to watch her step.

"Well done," he told her quietly as they headed down the wide path through the cemetery. Tall, red beech trees overshadowed their walkway, casting dappled yellow light along the tarmac. Kagome squinted ahead and spotted the congregation of mourners in the distance, gathered on a grassy slope outside the funeral home.

There had to be over a hundred people there, all dressed in black with a white band of colour around one arm to show that they were mourners rather than just normal city workers. Kagome suddenly felt a prickle of nausea crawl up her throat. Something about this whole scenario just seemed _wrong_…

"Well, look at that," Inuyasha cooed, looking ahead at the crowd. "Weren't you the popular one?"

"Shut up." Kagome felt sicker than ever.

"Kikyo's probably up there so here's where I split," Inuyasha said as he casually began distancing himself from her. "Remember what I said about talking to people and remember what will happened if you do."

He peeled away from her completely and began walking faster to get ahead. Kagome watched him with mixed feelings. Part of her wanted to run after him and stick close… but her sensible, logical side reprimanded her urges. She'd been wanting to escape from him for _days_ – what sane girl would want to stick close to him?

Giving herself a mental shake, Kagome continued on alone, heading towards her funeral. She saw Inuyasha reach the congregation first, blending in with the crowd while still keeping a safe distance. Kagome took a deep breath, feeling shaky and uncertain. She knew that this was her big chance to tear off her veil and go running into the arms of her mother. So why was she sticking to the plan that Inuyasha had laid out?

_I'__m crazy. I have to be, _she thought to herself as she left the path and started to climb the gentle slope towards the gathered people. Familiar, yet miserable faces started appearing throughout the crowd. Her aunt and uncle, her five cousins, a few of her neighbours and some of her mother's friends were consoling each other towards the back of the group. Her school friends were there as well. Yuka, Eri and Ayumi were weeping without restraint in each other's arms, and it was all Kagome could do to stop herself from running over to join them.

Then she saw her mother holding her brother's hand, and something akin to a strangled whimper nearly escaped her mouth. They both looked as ill and drawn as Grandpa. But at least Kagome reckoned that they didn't appear to look any worse than herself. If it wasn't for the veil, Kagome was sure that a few of the guests would have leapt back in horror to see a zombie coming their way.

Passing through the rows of graves was like walking through a miniature city with dwarf skyscrapers. The heady scent of burning incense teased her nose, and she had to fight back a sneeze. It would do no good to have a sneezing fit and draw attention to herself… not when her life depended on her passing through this ceremony without being noticed. Supposedly.

Sliding discreetly past a serene Buddhist statue, Kagome joined the back of her funeral parade. She did her best to blend in, mingling with the crowd and keeping her distance from those she'd been close to. She situated herself beside a group of people she didn't recognise – probably distant relatives that she hadn't met since she was a child.

She scanned every face in the crowd, but to her disappointment, she didn't see Kikyo among them. She wanted to see her cousin – to see if what Inuyasha had said was true. Would Kikyo appear calm and untouched by the funeral, like the heartless killer she'd been depicted as? Or would she cry along with the rest of her family? And if she did, was it sincere or just a lot of rather good acting?

But Kagome had no chance to wonder about Kikyo's lack of appearance as everyone suddenly began moving through the doors of the funeral home. They were going inside…

Looking ahead, Kagome saw Inuyasha passing through the doors, but just before he did, he turned and found her watching him. He winked at her, as if they were sharing some sort of sordid secret. Kagome fought the wave of repulsion that rose in her throat as she shuffled after the crowd that were gradually filtering through the doors.

No one seemed to notice the teenage girl as she slipped into the building amidst the other guests. Kagome wondered what they would do or say if her veil fell off now and they all saw her for who she was. Perhaps they would assume she was a ghost? Or perhaps they would think her sick and twisted for coming to her own funeral to watch her family wallow in grief?

The last thought left her stomach twisting in guilt. She couldn't show herself to her family now… not when she'd come to see them in disguise like some kind of peeping tom.

"…such a shame, at such a young age…"

"…I hope they catch the fiend responsible…"

"She had brains, that girl. She had a future laid out before her… so much potential wasted…"

The lump in her throat returned as she entered one of the larger rooms with the other guests. Instantly, her eyes were drawn to the casket on the other side of the room. She was shocked to see that it was open, leaving whatever body was inside on display. Not for the first time, Kagome wondered which unlucky girl had taken her place by mistake.

Everyone was queuing up to sign a registry book by the doorway, and Kagome fell into line to avoid sticking out. When it came time to sign her name, Kagome was so distracted that she almost signed her own name. She furiously crossed out the name that she'd started to write out and glanced angrily towards the top of the list where Inuyasha had already signed his name. Inokku Yoshikawa, huh?

Unable to find the imagination at that moment in time to think up a brilliant new alias, Kagome wrote down the first name that came into her mind that sounded natural.

Kasumi Yoshikawa.

Still feeling faintly disturbed, Kagome left the registry and headed across the room towards the rest of the mourners who were gathering near the casket. She was desperate to see who was inside, but at the back, all she could see were several pairs of black clad shoulders.

"Having a good time?" someone inquired next to her.

Kagome didn't need to look over to know who it was. "What do you think?" she snapped quietly.

Inuyasha sidled closer to her. "If you want to take a look, you need to be a bit more forceful."

Kagome opened her mouth to snap at him a little more when his elbow suddenly jabbed into the small of her back, making her leap forward. He drove her between the other guests forcefully, and no sooner had his elbow left her back then he was he gone. Kagome glanced behind her to hiss at him, but he was already moving away, distancing himself from her.

Glad that the veil concealed her angry blush, Kagome turned back towards the coffin and stopped dead.

There lay Kagome Higurashi.

Or so the plaque declared. In fact, it was just a fifteen year old who shared the same height, build and weight. The dead girl was dressed in white from head to toe with not one patch of skin to be seen. Over her face rested a pristine white cloth, held firmly in place by a band that went around the head.

How was anyone supposed to tell who this girl was? There was no way of knowing that this was her!

One of her mother's friends who was standing next to her was leaning over to whisper to his companion. "That monster shredded her face, poor thing. It was so bad that the police didn't want the Higurashis to identify her. They had to rely on dental records alone…"

"My word. Who could do such a thing to such a sweet girl?"

The flattery was lost on Kagome. All she could feel was a consuming sense of remorse and guilt. _The poor girl…_

"What's the matter with your legs?"

Kagome stiffened and inched her gaze to the boy standing directly beside her. It was none other than her little brother, Souta. He looked up at her veiled face with a strange petulance that she'd never seen before. Was this what he was like when she wasn't around, or had her death done something to him?

_I can'__t talk to him… he'__d recognise me in an instant! _So Kagome kept her mouth shut and tried to ignore him. She turned back towards the coffin and pretended not to have heard him.

Her heart ached badly.

"I _said_," Souta repeated, as if talking to a deaf old woman, "what happened to your legs, missus?"

_Missus?! How rude! I don'__t look that old!_

But it looked as if her brother wasn't going to leave her alone, and she knew from experience that he could be very insistent at times. Everything Inuyasha had told her previously about talking to people rushed through her mind, and consciously she shifted her stance so she would appear less like Kagome. An accent… she needed an accent…

Unfortunately, whilst aiming for a distinct southern intonation, she ended up with an Australian Crocodile Dundee accent. "I burnt them." _Oh no! I'__m an Aussie!_

Souta gave her a perplexed look. "On what?"

"Uh… bomb." Kagome cringed and tried to lower her voice an octave to elude the boy.

"Bet that hurts," he responded bluntly.

"Not anymore." She aimed for a slightly masculine shrug.

Souta's eyes narrowed at her. "Where are you from?"

"Um… Australia." Might as well keep to continuity.

"Oh yeah? Then where's your pouch?"

If smacking her little brother around the head wouldn't have drawn attention to her, Kagome would sorely have liked to give into the temptation. _You little brat…_ "I uh… I think you're mistaking me for a kangaroo."

"What, those things with big feet and long noses?" her brother asked.

"Yeah."

"Right. So where's your pouch?"

Kagome's hand was lifting to cuff his ear for talking to a stranger like that, but fortunately her mother saved the day. "Souta." Mrs Higurashi called out to her son, holding her hand out. "Stay close to me, Souta."

Souta gave a loud sigh and a roll of the eyes before heading back towards their mother. Kagome worried her lip slightly. She'd never seen her mother so anxious or doddering around Souta before… it was almost like she was scared to let him go.

No wonder. Not after what had happened to her first born.

The guilt hit Kagome with full force again. If only she could turn back time a few days and stop all this madness from ever being set in motion.

Then Kikyo arrived. "Aunt Mai! I'm so sorry I'm late." The young businesswoman came hurrying forward to give her aunt a tight, comforting hug. Kagome stood stock still and she saw her cousin for the first time in months.

She looked a little different from the last time they'd gotten together for a summer vacation. Kikyo had grown her hair out since then and now had a fringe. But she was still wearing the same designer labels with the same expensive shoes and a few thousand yen's worth of make-up on her already beautiful face. That face was now shot through with grief and misery. Tear stains tracked down her cheeks, carving paths in her foundation.

Was this the girl who had issued her death?

Around her, people were beginning to pay their respects to the dead girl. They got on their knees on the cushions provided and began saying prayers and burning incense, making Kagome's nose twitch again. Joining them, Kagome got down her on knees and bowed her head, uttering a prayer for the unknown girl before her.

Behind her, somebody sneezed, having also inhaled a bit too much incense. By the sound of it, it was a certain hanyou kidnapper. What surprised Kagome most was that Kikyo, who had been offering her mother condolences, suddenly stopped talking and paused before saying. "Excuse me, I'll be back in minute."

Kagome stopped her prayer and whipped her head around to follow Kikyo's progress through the crowd. And low and behold, as she'd suspected, it was Inuyasha she stopped next to. Inuyasha smiled an unfamiliar smirk as her cousin struck up conversation with him.

They knew each other. It was obvious. But how?

If only they weren't so far away, she'd be able to hear what they were saying.

"Are you done here?" A woman tapped her shoulder.

"No." Kagome said quickly and turned back around to face the casket. This may have been a fraudulent service, but Kagome was determined to show the dead girl proper respect. She began to pray again, wishing that the girl would soon be recognised for who she was and given a proper send off by her own family. But who knew when that would be? Perhaps around the same time it ever came out that Kagome wasn't actually dead…

Finally she stood up and started moving back through the crowd, keeping her head low as she made her way closer to where Inuyasha and Kikyo were conversing. Even though the funeral held a very quiet and sombre atmosphere, there was still a light murmuring from the hundred odd guests. It made it difficult to hear what Kikyo was saying to Inuyasha without getting dangerously close. But she tried anyway, winding her way closer until she thought she heard Kikyo give a light laugh.

Numb rage settled in Kagome's stomach. Kikyo was _laughing _at her funeral. And by the look on her face, she wasn't all that miserable either. She was still too far away to hear their low conversation, but she could already see that Kikyo was in 'flirt' mode. She held her cool and composed stance with a coy smile on her lips. One hand toyed with a lock of hair while her other clutched a set of car keys and a mobile phone.

If this wasn't disconcerting enough, Inuyasha was responding to her flirting like most men would. But as Kagome watched him looking at Kikyo, there was only word she could find to describe the look in his eyes…

Predatory.

Kagome stopped when she was finally within earshot and hid herself discreetly beside a tall man who was from her grandfather's chess club.

"…it's the least I could do," she caught Kikyo murmuring to Inuyasha.

"Kikyo, you spoil me." So, they were on a first name basis?

"Mmm, I'd like to take you outside and _really_ spoil you," was Kikyo's purred response.

Kagome's eyes widened and she clapped a hand to her mouth._ Oh god! Kikyo__'__s talking dirty and I'__m listening! Oh god… and that means… him… and her… they'__re…_

"Tempting, tempting." Inuyasha sighed regretfully. "But I'm tired of flogging the dead horse. Besides, I have a busy day ahead. I shouldn't even be here, you know."

"Yes, especially when I don't seem to recall anyone inviting you."

"Really? I could have sworn that when you told me about the funeral yesterday, you were almost begging me to come along."

"I'd never dream of begging you for anything, Inuyasha. I've never needed to and I never will," Kikyo told him haughtily before holding up a vibrating mobile phone. "Now excuse me, my phone's ringing and I need to take this call."

Kagome nearly had a heart attack as Kikyo turned and strode past her, passing within a few inches of her cousin. In her wake, a draft of perfume washed over Kagome. At once, she was hit with nostalgia and old memories of last summer when Kikyo had worn the exact same perfume.

It was also the one that Inuyasha had been wearing last night.

Kagome suddenly felt very sick.

A strong hand caught her elbow, and Kagome jerked around to see Inuyasha standing next to her. He looked serious as he jerked a thumb in the direction of the doorway that Kikyo had just exited. "Follow her."

"What?" Kagome blinked, too stunned from all the recent revelations to really keep track of current events.

"Go after her, but make sure she doesn't see you," Inuyasha told her, then quickly dropped her arm and went to join the people paying their respects with prayers.

Kagome watched him for a moment before suddenly moving into action. She hurried through the door after Kikyo and trotted down the empty corridor. Just as she was coming up to a bend, she realised Kikyo was only around the next corner. She'd stopped to take her call.

"…yes… yes… I'm aware of that, yes."

Kagome bit her lip and tiptoed into an alcove beside a statue, just in case Kikyo reappeared around the corner.

"Well, I don't care about that, the contract has to be pushed through." Kikyo was demanding out of sight. "Do whatever it takes. Bribe them, blackmail them, whatever!"

Two B words that a businesswoman of Kikyo's position shouldn't be uttering. Kagome started to frown as her assurance of Kikyo's innocence began to fade.

"So they're clean? Is there nothing you can use against them?… Well, they must have families," Kikyo reasoned. "Threaten their children or their spouses or something… that will get them moving… Yes, I'm serious. You know what to do."

Any doubts that Kagome had had evaporated in an instant.

So this was the real Kikyo?

"No, I'm not busy. I'll be there right away… of course. See you later."

The sound of a mobile phone snapping shut was following by purposeful footsteps. Kagome shrank further into the alcove as her cousin strode past, leaving another trail of perfume in her wake. Without a sound, Kagome slid to the floor and pressed her hands over her eyes.

It was almost too terrible to be true. But Kagome had heard it with her own ears, and now there was no denying what Kikyo was capable of. The teenager sank back into depression and shook with silent tears.

This really was where her life ended after all.

A shadow fell over her, but Kagome knew who it was instantly. She had been so acutely aware of his presence over the past few days that now she was attuned to it. It could be pitch black, but Kagome would still know who he was.

"Check it out, they've got this free buffet thing going." Inuyasha told her cheerfully as he chewed on a chicken leg, once again demonstrating his wondrous ability to be oblivious to her pain. When she didn't answer him and continued crying, he paused thoughtfully, wondering how to cheer her up. He held out the half eaten chicken leg. "Want a bite?"

"I _want _to go home." Kagome whispered fiercely.

"Well, that's not going to happen." Inuyasha sat down on the floor beside her, crossing his legs as he tucked into the free food on the plate he'd swiped.

"These shoes…" Kagome wrenched them off her feet angrily. "They're _her _shoes. You're _involved _with her."

"Was. Now she just stalks me. Or I stalk her. Maybe both." Inuyasha shrugged at her. "Neither of us are very good at getting over stuff."

Kagome fixed a glare on him. "Why did you save me?" she demanded. "Are you trying to get back at Kikyo? Or did you just save me because I look like her."

"Maybe both, maybe neither. Who knows?" He tossed the chicken bone over his shoulder. "Or maybe I just saved you because I could, and that's all there is to it."

"But why?"

"Why does there have to be a why?" Inuyasha challenged her. "I did it out of the goodness of my heart."

Kagome snorted.

"I did! I'm a tree-hugging pacifist, and if you snort at me one more time I'm going to stick you in that coffin where you belong," he grumbled.

Kagome reached out and took his plate, setting it on the floor before holding her hand out to him. "I don't like it here," she said quietly. "Let's go back… to your flat."

* * *

Next Update: Another Chapter: Leaving on a Jet Plane.

* * *

_More Fackyews. Because it keeps my small mind entertained. _

**Was Sango one of Miroku's wives?**

No. If she was, she wouldn't have been bitchslapping the other wife, she would have been bitchslapping the corpse.

**How old/young is Inuyasha?**

Uh… Look over there, an eagle! ::runs away::

**Why don't you ever tell us his age?**

Because I'm under contract. If I reveal how old he actually is, he'll beat me to a bloody pulp and then sue my remains. Oh, and it's also coming up in a later chapter…

**Did you make up the names of the chemicals for Zero-G?**

Nope. They're all real ingredients that go in cosmetic… thingies… Just don't ask me to pronounce any of them.

**Did you know you're funny?**

::sprays diet coke:: I AM??!!!

**So what is it exactly that the Coalescence hopes to achieve? And why would Inuyasha join such a group?**

The Coalescence Money, publicity and equality for demon-kind. Except they're a bunch of nasty buggers who would rather rule the world than be on equal terms with humans, so it's a good thing that no one listens to them. And as for Inuyasha joining them… well, did I mention that Naraku sends all his employees off to Hawaii every Christmas? Not such a bad boss now, is he?

**How old are you?**

Oh look, another eag-! Wait… you're asking _me_? Well then! I'm seventeen at the moment, but I'm due to turn eighteen next April. April the 12th to be exact.

**Why are you so rude to people who ask you simple questions?**

Because I'm an evil bitch and because some people just don't have a sense of humour (or perhaps that's just me). ::cough::


	8. Leaving on a Jet Plane

**Author'****s Notes: **Prepare to be dangled off a cliff edge. Mwahaha… ha…

* * *

**Zero-G**

**Chapter Seven**

**Leaving on a Jet Plane**

The apartment was stagnant. The fridge was humming in quiet contentment behind her, occasionally gurgling to itself, while the clock mounted on the wall above it provided an insistent tempo that seemed to get slower with every minute that passed.

Kagome sat quietly in the kitchen, too lost in her thoughts to take note of the passage of time. Her only clue was the square of sunlight that was moving across the table towards her resting hand until it was just kissing the tips of her fingers. Kagome roused herself enough to look across at the window where light and fresh air streamed through the broken pane of glass. Outside she could hear distant traffic and the sound of children playing in a back garden nearby. A cat mewed from the flower strewn trellis below.

The calm of the flat now seemed to echo inside Kagome's head. The questions and the thoughts stopped coming as the sun slid behind a cloud and the room went cold. She didn't know what to think anymore. She didn't know what questions she was supposed to ask or what she was supposed to do now that she knew the truth.

She knew how she was supposed to feel. Angry. Betrayed. Lost. But she couldn't identify her emotions right then… she just felt strangely empty and tired.

Inuyasha had promised that he would be back soon with her 'ticket to freedom', whatever that meant. She sincerely doubted that 'freedom' was even the right word. Her life, her _freedom,_ had been snatched from her, and now she had nothing. No family, no friends, no home… so what was left?

Kagome slumped forward onto the table and closed her eyes, wishing that there was a solution to her problem that she just hadn't found yet.

The memory assaulted her in that moment of weakness.

_"__Let go! Stop it!"_

_A pavement and the stem of a street light whirled past her vision._

Kagome flinched as her head suddenly throbbed with pain, and she whipped a hand towards her skull, almost certain that she could feel a trickle of fresh blood. But it was just her imagination… even though the pain lingered like the ghost of a memory.

Perturbed, Kagome frowned at the hand that was resting on the table a few inches from her nose. She tried to scrape more memory back, but the floodgate had closed no sooner had it opened, and Kagome could remember nothing more.

* * *

"Say it!" 

"Fuck you!"

"Say it!"

"Fuck! You!"

"Say it, or I break your spine!" Kouga yelled, twisting Inuyasha's arm further behind his back.

"Fine!" the hanyou spat back. "Your mother isn't fat!"

"See? That's all you needed to-"

"She isn't fat – she's an obese whale!"

"Right, that's it!"

Naraku sighed as he pushed through the ring of spectators in the corridor to where the two equally matched cell agents were wrestling furiously on the carpet. "People, people," he waved his hands at the audience, "there's nothing to see here, go back to your posts."

Strangely, everyone decided that there _was _something to see and lingered on… even if they did edge back a little. Naraku stepped forward and grabbed each scrabbling agent by the scruff of the neck and hauled them apart. Being taller than most people had its perks. "What is it _this _time?" he asked drolly.

"He insulted my mother!" Kouga hissed.

"Only because she was a crap lay!" Inuyasha responded, equally vehement.

The fight threatened to boil over again, so Naraku sighed and gave them both a hard shove in opposite directions. He turned to Kouga before the young man could take a run at Inuyasha. "Here," he said, handing him a scrap of paper he'd been keeping in his pocket. "A tough job for my toughest agent. Now go and report back when you're done."

Kouga clenched his fist around the post-it note angrily. With one last sneer in Inuyasha's direction, he turned and shoved his way through the crowd of people that was slowly beginning to disperse now that the interesting part was over. Naraku whirled on Inuyasha and slung an arm around his unsuspecting shoulders. "Come with me."

"You're not hitting on me again, are you?" Inuyasha asked suspiciously as he was dragged away down the corridor.

"Of course not. I just want to show you something," Naraku told him as they turned a corner and came to a halt in front of a cork board pinned to the wall. Inuyasha took one look and scowled, whereas Naraku waved a hand over it as if it were a remarkable piece of art. "The employee star chart," he declared proudly.

"Yeah, what of it?" Inuyasha glared at the board.

"Point to your name, Inuyasha." Naraku told him.

Reluctantly, Inuyasha tapped a claw to the characters of his name on the right side of the board.

"And how many stars do you have?"

"Sixty-two."

"And how many does Kouga have?"

"A hundred and three," Inuyasha admitted glumly. "But he's been caught for at least half of those!"

"Yes, but he's still pulling ahead of you and leaving a rather large gap, I'm afraid." Naraku sighed again as he folded his arms. "There once was a time when I considered you my best agent, Inuyasha. In a way, you still are. You can undertake any mission and walk away without being seen or implicated, something not many agents manage to keep up for so long. But I don't think you're taking on enough work. You must be very strapped for cash."

Inuyasha shrugged. "I get by."

"Indeed. But doesn't the fact that Kouga is doing better than you… irritate you?"

Inuyasha knew what his boss was doing. Inciting jealousy and competition was the best way to get people striving to work harder in order to beat their peers. But then again, Inuyasha didn't need a higher body count than Kouga to know that he was the superior agent. Kouga was messy, clumsy and often let witnesses with flapping lips escape, while Inuyasha was precise and clean with his work.

Kouga on a mission was like a bull in a china shop. Inuyasha was the mongoose. A handsome, debonair mongoose with enough charm to rival that of 007.

"It's a little annoying," Inuyasha said to satisfy his boss. "But I go for quality, not quantity."

"And that's why I reserve you for my special jobs." He slapped a post-it into Inuyasha's hand. "Daisuke Hoshi. Best friend of the chief of police and father of the prostitute you killed the other night."

"Porn star." Inuyasha said automatically, reading the note.

"Don't correct me," Naraku warned. "That man needs to be dead by the end of the week. Got that?"

"Got it." Inuyasha tucked the note into his back pocket and was about to walk away when Naraku caught his shoulder. "What is it?" he asked distractedly.

"There's still work for you to do here." Naraku nodded down the corridor. "We've got the Chief of Police's daughter in 12A. She needs to be interrogated… and I can think of no one better suited than you."

Instantly, Inuyasha's teeth clenched and his eyes hardened. He wanted to hit Naraku so hard at that moment… but somehow he managed to contain himself. "Fine," he ground out eventually, and pivoted on his heel, marching in the direction of 12A.

He could feel Naraku's eyes on his back the whole time until he was finally out of sight. Inuyasha slowed down a little and pressed a hand to his forehead wearily. He didn't want to interrogate anyone. He just wanted to go home…

Although even at home, he wouldn't be able to find peace. Not with Kagome there, anyway. She'd undoubtedly have more questions for when he returned, and more demands, and more whining.

But she was a refreshing change of pace. It was rather nice to be around someone who wasn't a cutthroat villain for once. Her innocence made him feel… less tainted.

12A loomed before him in no time, and without hesitation, Inuyasha let himself into the room without knocking

A battered looking girl dressed in the black uniform of a police officer sat propped on a lonely looking wooden chair in the centre of the room. She was bowed forward as far as her rope restraints would allow, a curtain of hair hiding her face away from him. She gave no sign that she'd heard him enter… but her current interrogators had jumped up indignantly.

"What do you think you're doing?!" the older, prettier one demanded. "You can't just barge in like this!"

"Naraku's orders, Hiten." Inuyasha shrugged, shoving his hands into his pockets. "She's mine now."

"I don't believe this…" grumbled the younger, uglier one.

"I'm having a word with the boss about this." Hiten stormed out the door. "Come, Manten!"

"Coming, brother!"

Inuyasha gladly kicked the door shut after them and turned with a loud sigh towards the silent, unmoving girl. He cocked his head to the side and surveyed her. For all appearances, Hiten and Manten had already tried to beat the life out of her, and there was very little left to interrogate. There was a tray in the corner of the room filled with all sorts of cruel and unusual looking instruments. Inuyasha sauntered over to pick up the tray to inspect each device one by one.

A nail splinter: a Chinese based torture device designed to separate nail from finger. Inuyasha picked it up and weighed it in his hand for a moment before tossing it over his shoulder. "Crap," he announced.

The next one was a medieval-like tooth puller. This one would either pull healthy teeth from the jaw or shatter them in the mouth. That one also went sailing over his shoulder. "Bullshit."

A syringe. A bottle of acid. Oversized pins. A handheld 'finger-chopper'. These little instruments of torture added up to a whole lot of pain. Inuyasha tossed them all onto the floor carelessly until the tray was empty. When he turned back to the girl, he found her staring at him in bemusement.

"Posers." He shrugged and plucked up the chair that Hiten had been using. He set it against the wall and sat down, stretching out leisurely with his arms behind his head. "They don't know anything, really."

The girl lowered her head again, resuming her lifeless act.

Inuyasha watched her speculatively. "What's your name?"

His detainee gave a sharp, caustic laugh. "Is that the best you can do? 'What's your name?' Why don't you ask me how the weather is?"

"I've already been outside today, so I don't need to." Inuyasha scratched his head. "But then again, I don't need to ask your name either. I already know you're Officer Sango Hara. Says so on your badge."

"Congratulations," she said, her voice dripping with cynicism.

"Thank you." Inuyasha smirked at her. "So where did the stooges leave off? What ground have we covered so far?"

Sango lifted her head again with a glare as a fresh bead of blood leaked from the corner of her mouth. "If, by that, you mean what I've been doing here for the past two days; then I've been punched, kicked, stomped on, cut, threatened, beaten and electrocuted. What's next, teacher?"

"Nothing dramatic," Inuyasha frowned slightly. "We'll just stop feeding you for a few days and see how long it is before you'll trade information for a packet of crisps."

Sango sneered at him. "Not likely. My father wrote the book on terrorist interrogations. I know _every_ trick you'll try and pull on me to get me to talk. You _won__'__t _break me. You're out of your depth."

"You may know the tricks, but so do I." Inuyasha suddenly leant forward with a finger to his temple. "And I know exactly what's going through your head right now. _Maybe if I can just hold on for another minute. Another hour. _Another week?"

He paused to watch the girl turn a sickly shade of grey as her eyes hardened. "Yeah," he continued, dropping his hand, "I thought so. Police officers are always trained to think the same way. You aren't any different from the last guy to crack under the pressure."

Sango turned her head away from him angrily.

"I'm sure you're aware of the three Fs." Inuyasha began inspecting his claws lazily. "Freedom, Faith and Family. Your father wrote about them, after all."

Sango stiffened.

"We've already taken away your freedom. You know that you can regain it any time you like… provided you give us what we want." The hanyou paused to consider the second F. "If not, we can always move on to Faith. But you don't quite strike me as the religious type so that means we'll skip straight to family."

"Bastard, if you think your attempts to-"

Inuyasha whipped the post-it out of his pocket and snapped it between his fingers. "This is my order to kill Daisuke Hoshi. A friend of your father's. Talk to me and I may just misplace it. But if you _are _willing to let him die in order to keep your silence, then we can always take a bash at your father as well. We certainly wouldn't miss that guy. You also have a little brother, don't you?"

"Leave them out of this!"

"That's up to you. We won't lay a finger on them if you provide us with whatever you know."

"What if I don't _know _anything?!" Sango hissed. "I'm just a second level officer! My father doesn't share everything with me."

Inuyasha glanced at his watch absently. "It may come to you later on. Well, I don't have a lot of time to chat today, so I'll be back tomorrow. Hopefully you're easier to talk to on an empty stomach. But if not, I'll just come back the next day. And then the next day, and then the next, and the next, until you're willing to share some information on your father. I can wait."

"I'd rather die," Sango spat.

"Ultimately, you will. If you're stupid." Inuyasha stood up slowly. "It's ok to be selfish when it's your life on the line. Just remember which is more important to your father… you… or his work? Which would he rather sacrifice?"

He began moving towards the door when Sango suddenly lifted her head. "You've done this before," she accused coldly, "haven't you?"

Inuyasha glanced back at her blankly. "Yes," he answered simply, then left her to ponder her choices alone.

* * *

"You know, you're lucky, Buyo the Second." Kagome waved a piece of tuna skewered on her fork as she gesticulated. "You don't have to go to school. You don't get depressed when you have no friends. You don't get attempts on your life by family members unless you steal their food, and your idea of a shower is licking your bottom with your tongue." 

Six hours had passed since Inuyasha had left for 'work', and Kagome was already talking to cats. Not long after she'd settled down to pick at a can of tuna, a white cat with brown and gold patches had stuck its head through the window to do some serious sucking up. It may not have been quite as obese as her own cat, but the patterns on the fur had been so similar that Kagome had been compelled to name it Buyo.

That, and she was seriously lacking the energy to be more imaginative.

Kagome forked up another piece of tuna and offered it to the cat sitting on the table beside her. It greedily gobbled down the little titbit while Kagome resumed eating - with the same fork, no less. "Now, me on the other hand, I have to douse myself in steaming hot water for several minutes and apply liberal amounts of soap before decent civilisation can call me 'clean'. Problem is, I haven't been able to do that for nearly a week now, which is a shame considering how much stress I've been put through. Did I tell you that my cousin tried to kill me?"

"Meow."

"Yeah, I thought so." Kagome propped her cheek on her upturned palm. "But what's worse is that the guy who saved me is a complete… blargh… I don't think there's a word in any language to describe him. He treats me like a prisoner, locks me in the flat all day while he goes off doing god knows what and expects me to just _deal _with the fact that I've been betrayed."

Kagome's hands flew down against the table, making both cat and tuna jump. "But I've been betrayed! By my own family!"

"Meow."

"I know… but he just annoys me," Kagome sighed into her hands. "He may say he's my saviour and is all heroic and that, but he doesn't understand… I bet no one's ever betrayed him this way."

"Nyaw…"

"But you know what's even worse than his emotional obstinacies? The fact that he was _involved_ with Kikyo!" Kagome laughed loudly. "Can you believe that? And what's horrible is that I _remember_ him too!"

Buyo the Second began taking a 'shower'. Kagome squinted thoughtfully at the ceiling as she tried to remember. "There was that one time Kikyo was visiting with her mother, and she had obviously snuck someone up to her room… because me and Yuka were listening at the door. It was probably _him_… unless Kikyo's a slut with more men than yen."

"Meow."

"You're right. She _is _a slut," Kagome agreed decisively. "An utter tramp with too much lipstick and mascara. She couldn't even come up with a good product on her own – she had to steal Grandma's!"

A key turned in the lock of the front door, moments before it was shoved open and Inuyasha walked through. "Oh, hello, Stinky."

Kagome turned a withering glare on him. "What did you just call me?"

"I was talking to the cat, honey." Inuyasha dumped his helmet and jacket on the sofa and moved forward to scratch the feasting cat behind the ears. "You may wanna watch out for Mrs Saito."

"Who?" Kagome narrowed her eyes.

"The crazy cat woman across the hall." Inuyasha jerked his head towards the door. "If she finds out you're trying to steal her beloved pussy-kins, she may be forced to clout you with a scratching post."

"I wasn't stealing. I was just feeding him," said Kagome defensively. "And what about you? What were you doing all day?"

"Nothing of consequence." He shrugged and pulled an envelope from the pocket of his jeans. He set it on the table beside the cat and went to make himself a sandwich. By now, Kagome was convinced that whatever brain he might possess was situated in his stomach. Turning her attention away from him, she picked up the envelope and emptied the contents onto the table.

A passport, a provisional driver's licence and numerous pieces of folded up paperwork fell out. Bewildered, Kagome picked up the pristine white passport first and opened it up. A smaller version of her own face stared back blankly. It was exactly the same picture that was on her usual passport… so why was she wearing glasses and sporting a very prominent beauty spot on her cheek.

"What the heck is this?" Kagome waved the passport at Inuyasha's turned back.

"Photoshop's a wonder, isn't it?" was all he said.

"But this isn't me." Kagome glared at the passport details and customs stamps furiously. "Kasumi Yoshikawa?! Age twenty?! Travelled to Hong Kong, Hawaii and Africa?!"

"No need to shout it to me. I did design that thing," Inuyasha remarked dryly as he plastered the artery-clogging butter onto his bread. "The picture is to fool the face recognition computer. Just remember to take a pair of glasses and black marker pen with you when we go to the airport."

"The airport?" Kagome blinked. "Am I going somewhere?"

"Yes. France."

Some odd, unidentified feeling made Kagome's jaw lock. "I see."

"It's nice there. Lots of bright colours and romance and open universities with free health service. France is a place to live these days," informed Inuyasha in a vague manner. "It'll only take you a few months to learn the language, and then you'll be eating frogs and snails with the best of them."

It was a chance for freedom - a new life and new opportunities. So why didn't Kagome feel relieved? "Where did you get this?" she asked, dropping the passport back onto the table.

"I know people at work…"

"Crooks?" Kagome guessed bluntly.

"Yeah, sort of." Inuyasha plopped down in the seat beside her to eat his sandwich. "There's your provisional licence. You can take driving lessons with that. Your new citizen ID number is in the passport – memorise it. Get used to wearing glasses, and it might help if you cut your hair."

Kagome put a hand to her jet tresses protectively. "You want me to cut my hair?" she repeated stupidly.

"Chin length would be great." He leant back and looked at her with scrutiny. "You have the neck for a bob."

"No, thank you." Kagome turned frosty and glared at her new documents. "So I'm just supposed to go to France and become French and never look back?"

"Precisely."

It was probably the only way she was going to make it to thirty. If she hung around Tokyo for much longer, it would only be a matter of time before someone recognised her and Kikyo found out she was still alive. Then both she and Inuyasha would be in for it… which brought one of Kagome's most nagging questions to the surface.

"Inuyasha…?"

"Mm," he grunted, licking his fingers.

"How did you save me?" Kagome propped her elbows on the table. "When the Coalescence attacked me."

His eyes flicked up to meet hers. As usual, it was hard to tell what he was thinking… but she knew from the sudden eye contact that he was thinking _something_. "I found you," he answered evenly. "In the canal."

"The canal?" Kagome echoed with disappointment. "So you didn't see who tried to kill me?"

"Nope." Somehow he had managed to make the sandwich disappear in four bites, and he stood up to clear away the plate (as he felt compelled to do, now that Kagome had taken to glaring at him when he left a mess). "But if I had, I would have kicked the bastard in the bollocks for you."

"How sweet," Kagome said without feeling and began rifling through the other documents that he'd given her. "Wait… is this a plane ticket?"

He flashed her a brief, empty smile. "Yep. You're leaving tonight."

A knot rose in Kagome's stomach. It was natural to be reluctant and scared to travel to a new place with no roots… but was the gut wrenching nausea normal? She could feel a cold sweat breaking out over her body, and she automatically began petting Buyo the Second to hide the shakiness of her hands. Inuyasha hadn't noticed any discomfort on her behalf and mooched across the room to sit and watch TV on the sofa. "Three hours," he warned her, pointing to the clock with the remote control.

Kagome's mouth went dry and metallic, almost as if she was about to throw up. "Inuyasha… can I have a shower first?"

He shot her a beady eyed glare. "You'd have to go down to the public baths across the road, but I'm not sure I trust you to come back."

Kagome gave him a helpless shrug and a lost gaze. "Where else can I go?" she pointed out.

"Alright. But only because you stink worse than Stinky." He stood and picked up his jacket. "And I'll be waiting outside for you in case you change your mind about running."

Kagome rolled her eyes and stood to follow him out the flat.

"Oh…" Inuyasha stopped a moment to dig a hand into his pocket and unearth some shrapnel. "And here's some money to buy yourself some decent soap. Try the Jasmine. It would suit you."

Kagome ground her teeth, but accepted the money. She was, after all, quite desperate.

* * *

"And first he says that I need to cut my hair short, but then he's like '_you should wear the jasmine, it suits you,'_" Kagome did her rather unflattering impression of Inuyasha's voice. "He's such a pig – and all he cares about is food." 

"Dear, that's men for you," the middle-aged woman next to her sighed as she rinsed her hair out. "All they care about is food and sex. At least you lived with him first. I know dozens of girls who marry first and then find out what bums their new husbands are. I teach at a university, don't you know."

"Oh no. I'm not marrying this guy." Kagome scrubbed soap into her arms with the ferocity of a crazy woman trying to clean _under _her skin. "First of all, he's an ass, and I never wanted to live with him anyway. Second, I have this feeling that he's involved with my cousin. You know, the one I told you about? The one who accidentally deliberately tried to kill me?"

"_Never_!" the woman next to her gasped.

"He comes home from 'work' smelling like her, and I've found shoes and clothes belonging to her hidden all over the house. Then I see them talking to each other in public, and they might as well be having sex on the floor for all their 'subtle' flirting."

"He's no good for you, dear."

"Yes, I agree. He's very bad for my health. I swear I've lost more hair in the last week than I have in a year." Kagome began rubbing shampoo into her hair very carefully for fear of aggravating her old wound. "And he's sending me to France in a few hours."

The woman next to her suddenly cooed. "Ooh, France. Best place in the world for young things like you. I hear that you can wear pink in that country!"

For some reason, Kagome didn't share her enthusiasm.

"That ticket must have cost a pretty penny. Tickets abroad aren't cheap these days."

"That's true…" Kagome frowned. And just _how _had Inuyasha managed to pay for the ticket? Last time she'd checked, the price of a holiday flight to Europe was the same as buying a nice second-hand car. "Gah… he probably stole it, for all I know."

* * *

Inuyasha sighed impatiently as he glanced at his watch, paced, then checked the time again for good measure. _Two hours_ she'd spent in the baths. Surely it didn't take that long to wash up and get dry. 

He was either underestimating a woman's ability to procrastinate, or she'd slipped out the back door.

Letting loose a small growl of irritation, Inuyasha suddenly spun and stomped into the public baths. He strode past the spluttering woman in reception and straight into the women's changing room. He ignored the indignant squeals of the semi-naked women around him and the occasional wooden bucket that conked him on the head. He was too busy scanning the room for Kagome… but she wasn't there.

Which meant she had to be in the baths still.

Inuyasha didn't hesitate as he stalked through the adjoining arch into the showers. "Kasumi!" Women ran shrieking in opposite directions as he passed through. "Kasumi!"

After the showers were the baths themselves, where a hundred odd women were sitting on stools busily soaping themselves and washing their hair. "Kasumi!" Inuyasha thundered, and instantly the whole room fell silent save for the sound of running water.

All eyes turned to stare at him, except for 'Kasumi's'. She was the only one who had stiffened so completely at the sound of his voice that she'd been unable to turn to face him. But he knew from her rigid posture that she'd heard him. "The plane leaves in an _hour_," he reminded her curtly. "I suggest you finish up _now._"

Having dropped his bombshell in a clear and decisive manner, Inuyasha stomped out again, leaving Kagome in a state of shellshock, as it were, and blushing like a mad thing. The woman next to her tutted and leant over. "You're right, he does have a lot of drawbacks… but at least he compensates for it with those biceps."

Kagome shuddered unconsciously and quickly said her goodbyes to the nice lady beside her. She had no particular desire to insight another outburst like the one she'd just witnessed, so she quickly dried herself off, plaited her hair, and tugged on the fresh set of clothes that she'd brought with her. They were, in fact, Kikyo's clothes which she'd found in the bedroom closet. They emanated the faint aroma of the trademark Regenis perfume and fit with Kikyo's taste. Of course, Kagome doubted that they'd been worn for a couple of years now; Kikyo hadn't been XS for a while.

The three-quarter length business-style slacks may have been a little out of fashion (grey had gone out last year), and the matching jacket was a little too loose around the bust, but it was better than wearing that ghastly funeral dress. It was also far better than her school uniform… because it had been almost three whole years since she'd been allowed to wear trousers.

But the thing that irritated Kagome the most was the fact that she was also wearing Kikyo's underwear. That in itself wasn't too bad since they were quite clean, and Kagome _had _sometimes borrowed the odd pair of knickers from her cousin when staying over at her penthouse apartment. But just the knowledge that this complete and utter stranger had some of Kikyo's most intimate articles of clothing was slightly disturbing. Kagome was entirely convinced that this guy was a pervert of some sort…

_I just wish I had my own clothes again_, Kagome thought wistfully as she left the locker room and headed towards the entrance to find Inuyasha. He was more impatient than she'd ever seen him before. The moment he saw her, he grabbed her arm and steered her out onto the street, not bothering to look both ways before crossing the road back towards his flat. "We're taking my bike," he told her shortly. "But it will be a miracle if we even get there on time."

"That's not my fault," she protested, wrenching her arm free. "If you'd let me have a shower earlier, I wouldn't have needed to wash my hair so many times."

"Whatever." He stopped and pointed to the steps leading up to the entrance of his block. "Just wait there."

Kagome flopped down on the cold concrete steps with a sigh and watched as he disappeared down an alley next to the flats. While she waited for him to fetch this infamous bike that she'd heard coming and going several times over the last few days, she slipped off her school shoes and examined her blisters mutely. That's what she got for wearing Kikyo's shoes…

"Come on, what are you waiting for?"

Kagome whipped around to see that Inuyasha had returned already, dragging with him a black monstrosity.

It was love at first sight.

"Wow… cool bike." Kagome got up and trotted towards it. "Wow… how much did it cost? Or did you steal this one too?"

"What do you mean 'too'?" Inuyasha frowned, and thrust the black helmet towards her. "Wear this."

Kagome looked apprehensively at the red chevrons and symbols on both helmet and bike. "Are you sure this is legal…?" _Whoa… déjà vu._

"Only until you report me," Inuyasha responded, and mounted the bike with ease. He tapped one of the panniers behind him. "Put your bag in here and let's go."

Kagome carefully zipped up her bag full of false documents and ID into the handy pannier and looked at the helmet in her hands. "What about you?" she asked. "Don't you need one?"

"I won't crash. Just put it on already."

"Alright…" Kagome pulled a face and vigilantly pulled the helmet on over her wet hair. It fit snugly around her head with an odd kind of weight, and she carefully eased herself onto the bike behind Inuyasha.

He turned once to snap the visor just over her face before starting the engine. "People won't recognise you this way," he told her.

"Oh, and here I was thinking you were concerned about my safety," remarked Kagome dryly.

"That was the first reason," Inuyasha said with a shrug. "Now put your arms around my waist and go with the flow."

"You don't mince words, do you?" Kagome did as she was told (even though she was somewhat reluctant to hold him that close) and closed her eyes as the bike began to move off.

But it wasn't nearly as terrifying as Kagome had imagined. In fact, she had this crazy urge to throw her arms out and laugh as they sped off down the darkening road. The street lights were beginning to flicker on, almost as if reacting to their presence as they passed by.

Kagome watched stationary cars rush by along with a few pedestrians on their way home from work, and the odd stray cat roaming alongside fences of bamboo. They passed through small lanes and alleys lined with cramped, miniature houses and down a hill with cascading gardens. It was so breathtaking and beautiful in the evening that Kagome suddenly felt a tight pang in her chest.

She didn't want to leave her home behind.

However, Kagome knew that what she was doing was for the best… so she held her tongue and hoped that the ache in her heart would ease soon. But even as the familiarity of the houses and suburban streets melted away into busy, confusing districts of traffic lights and cross junctions, the ache in Kagome only grew. It intensified still as they joined the highway and Inuyasha made rude gestures at everyone he overtook.

When they entered the tunnel, it finally grew too much for Kagome.

Hastily, she tapped Inuyasha's shoulder. "We have to stop!" she yelled.

He ignored her.

Kagome tugged at him even harder. "Please – just stop!"

Maybe the helmet was muffling her voice, or perhaps the wind was deafening him, but Inuyasha still wasn't responding.

Kagome gave him one last tug. "I'm going to be sick!" she shouted.

Inuyasha reacted with the speed of a cobra… who was in fear of being vomited on. The bike veered left at a sudden, dangerous angle, screeching to a stop beside the tunnel wall. Cars continued to rush past at an uncomfortable proximity as Inuyasha jumped off the bike and yanked her helmet off so fast that Kagome's head nearly went with it.

"Not on my bike, you're not." He pointed to the grimy, grease ridden gutter. "Sit there until it comes or goes."

Kagome slid off the bike dutifully and moved away to crouch with her back to the wall, not wanting to stain her clothes with dirt by sitting down. The artificial glow of the overhead lights cast a sickly orange glow on everything, which probably would have antagonised her nausea even more… had she been feeling sick in the first place. Of course, that had only been an excuse to get him to stop. However, she _was_ intensely homesick, and one more step in the wrong direction was going to push her over the edge.

The teenager wedged her fingers into her hair and pressed her palms against her forehead.

It wasn't disputable. She couldn't go to France.

Inuyasha was pacing nearby, watching the traffic with a peevish look on his face. Kagome knew that he was anxious to get moving… and she dreaded having to tell him that it was impossible. Would he shout at her? Would he just accept her feelings and let her stay? Or would he keep his calm and just drag her kicking and screaming to the airport anyway?

"Well?" she heard him ask impatiently.

Kagome didn't answer.

"Are you still sick?" he pressed, crouching down beside her. "You haven't eaten all day, have you?"

"I had tuna," she responded quietly.

"Which the cat ate mostly." Inuyasha sighed and rubbed his face. "Look. It's only five more minutes to the airport. Just try and hold on to yourself for that long, ok? They have sick bags on the plane."

Kagome shook her head. "I can't go."

"What do you mean you can't go? You _have _to." Inuyasha frowned at her.

"I _can__'__t,_" Kagome emphasised. "I _can__'__t _go."

"You _can__'__t _stay!" Inuyasha almost laughed at her.

It was a pity that Kagome couldn't share his humour. "Is this what people do when they're wronged? Roll over and play dead? Whatever happened to justice?! Why can't I stay and fight for what is rightfully mine?!"

Inuyasha made emphatic gestures with his hands. "Because you'll die!" He seemed awfully tempted to throttle her. "Is that what you want?"

"No!" Kagome fisted her hands against her eyes. "But I can't run away either! I belong here! If I leave today, how long do you think it will be before I come running back? I'm _fifteen_, Inuyasha! _I am a kid_! I can't make it on my own!"

"You don't have a choice," he told her in a low voice. "What do you think a _kid _like you can do anyway? Your cousin is a fucking millionaire! She has the Coalescence at her beck and call, and you've already seen that she's not afraid to unload the big guns on her most harmless foe. If you try and take her down, she'll only crush you more completely."

"She's taken my family." Kagome looked up at him pleadingly. "She's taken away my friends and my education and probably the one thing that could have guaranteed me a stable life with a stable income. She's not only robbed me, but she's robbed our grandmother who spent her entire life working on that formula. Was it all for nothing?"

"Yes." Inuyasha stood up and folded his arms.

"No!" Kagome couldn't seem to control herself. She fell forward onto her knees and twisted her fingers into the fabric of his trousers. "Please! Don't make me leave, Inuyasha! My life is _here_!"

"Would you get off?!" He tried to disentangle the clingy girl.

"I'm begging you!" She gripped him harder. "Please help me! I will do anything! Just please don't make me abandon my world like this!"

She locked gazes with him. She tried to look into his heart and see if there was any help to be found there. But he just looked at her pityingly and gave a helpless shake of his head and a shrug. He opened his mouth to say something, but seemed unable to put it into words.

"_Please!"_Kagome gasped, feeling her heart break at the thought of losing her family so absolutely.

It must have been the first time that she'd seen any genuine display of emotion on his face. He looked away from her with a torn frown and a downward quirk in the corner of his lips. He appeared unable to face her… but it lasted only a fraction before his face wiped clean of anything at all.

He cursed explicitly under his breath and suddenly glanced back down at her. "The police are here."

* * *

Cliffy!

* * *

**Fackyews**

**When is Kagome going to figure out who Inuyasha is?**

The same day we find out how old Inuyasha is. ::gets smacked:: Ow...

**So… the dead girl was Miroku's wife?**

Nope. You are reading the right story, aren't you?

**I bet you don't know what 'bugger' means.**

British-english: 'bugger' n. means 'small annoying thing/person' or 'worthless person'. This is what its meaning was in the context of the last chapter… since you'll rarely find me talking about sodomy. Speaking of which, I bet you don't know where the word 'sod' came from…

**Why do you answer people's questions in this fanfic...?**

Why do you ask questions regarding this fanfic?

**Is the dead girl Hojo?**

Yes. Yes she is. The operation went horribly wrong so poor Hojo jumped into the canal to commit suicide. That also went horribly wrong.

**I'll give you the History Channel and Jeopardy if you update 'The Sinner'.**

How about: I update if you promise _not _to put me through that. ;)

**I'm very sorry, but I forgot... what is Miroku's and Sango's role in this?**

::pats head:: Don't worry, you're not alone…

**Can you drive?**

Yes, but the court says I shouldn't go within five feet of a car after _that _incident.

**How tall are you?**

In lamen's terms: about the same height as Frodo, give or take a couple of feet. In technical terms: 5' exactly.

**What's your bra size?**

Is this really just casual interest or is someone somewhere making an android copy of me?

**Are these real questions or are you just making them up?**

A little from column A, a little from column B. Nah, these are all real questions… except for one of them.

**Have you seen Orlando Bloom lately?**

No, last time we spoke he was heading out to the caribbean to start filming his next pirate movie. But the queen sends her regards. And what about you? Seen Brad Pitt lately?


	9. Garage Squatting

**Author's Notes**: I'm honestly trying to think of something profound and meaningful to write here that will inspire anyone who takes the time to read the A/N. But… I got nothing… sorry…

* * *

**Zero-G**

**Chapter Eight**

**Garage Squatting**

Inuyasha looked down at the prostrating girl clinging to the material of his trousers. She gazed up at him with such imploring earnestness that he was at a loss of what to do. He _knew _that the best thing for everyone was for Kagome to get on that plane and never return to Japan. Honestly, it was a flawless scheme.

Everyone wanted to go to France these days. There was clean air, plenty of sunshine, fashions which included all seven colours of the rainbow and living expenses were very affordable. Inuyasha had foreseen no reason why this girl would rather have stayed in a country where her life was in constant jeopardy than go to a yuppie hotspot like Paris.

"I'm begging you!" She tugged at his trousers again, making him quickly catch hold of his belt before they fell down completely. "Please help me! I will do anything! Just don't make me abandon my world like this!"

He pitied her, he truly did. To be born as a cousin to someone like Kikyo Higurashi was a hard curse. But was she that desperate to stay and die? Was it bravery or just stupidity? Or was it something else…?

Inuyasha tried to tell her that she had no options. That she _must _get on the plane in order to live as a free person. But the words clotted in his throat, and he could only shake his head. Her pleading stare continued and he had to look away, unable to stand seeing the torment he was inflicting on her.

_I should have killed you_, he thought, not unkindly.

Then he noticed the patrol car peeling away from the stream of traffic a few hundred metres away. He stiffened and tried to school his expression. "Shit! The police are here."

Horrible visions flashed before his eyes of the imminent danger they were now in. What if the police recognised Kagome? What if she willingly ran to them and told them who she was? Both of them could be dead by the end of the day…

"Let go-" Inuyasha jostled Kagome. "-get off."

But Kagome didn't budge. "Promise me!" she hissed, using his anxiety to her advantage. "Promise me you'll help me!"

"I _can't!" _he hissed back, eyes on the patrol car that had now stopped only a few yards away. Two young officers - one male and the other female - were stepping out of the vehicle and moving towards them. The woman seemed to be a safe bet; she wore a bored expression as if this were a routine event, but the man was a different matter. He carried the swaggering arrogance of a kid who'd let his power go to his head and was only too happy to exert it on the unfortunate.

Inuyasha spat a mental curse at them both, but forced a smile.

"Care to tell us what you're doing?" the male officer asked with a smirk as he eyed them both. With Kagome on her knees, tugging at Inuyasha's pants as insistently as she was, there was only one natural conclusion to jump to.

"She felt sick." Inuyasha shrugged. "We had to stop or she would puke. My _sister _isn't a good traveller."

"Sister, huh?" The cop smirked again. "Incest is illegal, don't you know?"

Kagome hastily released Inuyasha and got to her feet as the female police officer rolled her eyes. Obviously, she was about as fond of her partner as Inuyasha was. "It's also illegal to stop a tunnel," she said, bringing everyone's attention to the matter at hand. "You'll have to move yourselves and your vehicle."

"But first I want to see some ID," the male officer interrupted, giving Inuyasha a dirty look. "I don't buy the sibling crap."

Inuyasha shrugged and reached into the pocket of his jacket while Kagome gawped like a fish. He nudged her and nodded towards the bike. She quickly caught his drift and went to fetch her fake ID from her bag.

"Kasumi Yoshikawa and Inokku Yoshikawa, huh?" The cop stared at the two laminated cards with scrutiny, undoubtedly checking for signs of forgery. Luckily, there were none. He looked at Kagome. "I guess this makes you a youkai, too."

Kagome flinched as if she'd been struck. "Excuse me?"

"I'm a hanyou," Inuyasha cut in with a hard glare at the police officer. "We're half-siblings."

"Yeah?" The officer lifted an eyebrow. "By which parent?"

"Mother," said Inuyasha, at precisely the same moment that Kagome said, "Father."

Inuyasha quickly slipped an arm around her shoulder and a hand over her mouth. "Biologically, we share a mother," he said casually, as if gagging his sister was an everyday occurrence. Which it was really… "But we both live with her father because our mother died a few years ago, and my father is… somewhere else, I don't know. So it's _like _we share a father."

"Uh huh." The cop sounded unconvinced.

Kagome shook Inuyasha's hand away and folded her arms with a quiet huff.

The cop moved to stand beside the bickering 'siblings' to examine the bike suspiciously. "You know, this looks an awful lot like a bike that was stolen off an antique collector last week."

"Wow. Fancy that." Inuyasha shoved his hands in his pockets and scuffed at the loose gravel beneath his feet. "Because I've had that bike for three years."

The arrogant cop looked at him in contempt. "Prove it."

"I have an MOT certificate from when I had the bike tuned and tested three months ago," Inuyasha told him. "You'll be glad to know that my bike's in perfect health."

"Really?" The cop unhooked his truncheon from his belt. "Because your tail light seems to be broken."

The black truncheon jerked forward, aiming to shatter the plastic covering of the tail light. Inuyasha stopped the man's hand just in time with a bone crunching grip on his wrist. "Oh my god…" he said with disgust and disbelief. "Please tell me that you did _not _just try to pull the most corny move in the book."

The police officer's face was contorting with pain, no matter how much he tried to hide it. "Release me before I charge you with assault."

"Funny, seeing as how the only one assaulting anything here is _you_." Inuyasha tightened his grip with an audible crunch.

Whatever cool the police officer possessed was lost in that moment. "Get your hands off me, you filthy hanyou-"

Inuyasha released his hand instantly, but only to crack the back of his fist across the officer's face. Blood splattered, a nose broke, and the arrogant young man fell flat on his back.

Kagome gaped in horror. "Inuyasha - you just hit a policeman!"

From the look he gave her, she suddenly realised that she'd given away his real name. But fortunately, the fallen officer didn't seem to have heard as he was too busy looking stunned.

"Tanaka!" His partner rushed over to help him up, but she sounded more exasperated than concerned. "You've really gone too far now."

Inuyasha tugged at Kagome's sleeve. "Put the helmet on," he muttered to her.

"What?" Kagome blinked at him.

"Do it!" he hissed more forcefully. Kagome obeyed, but more out of stunned agreeability than anything else. "Now get on the bike."

The stunned policeman may have been too shocked to stand, but he was sharp enough to realise that his criminals were getting away. "Hey! Wait! Where do you think you're going?!"

"Uh… we have a plane to catch. Later!" Inuyasha mounted the bike in front of Kagome and forcefully dragged her arms around his waist. He saluted once to the two police officers on the floor before revving the engine to life and speeding off.

"You're crazy!" Kagome yelled over the roar of the engine.

"The crazy part hasn't even begun yet!" Inuyasha shouted back, keeping an eye on his wing mirror. He could see that the police were making a dash for their vehicle, and it would only be seconds before-

A siren began shrieking behind them, echoing through the hollow expanse of the tunnel. Inuyasha heard Kagome groan and lean into him. It was unlucky that she was prone to travel sickness… because the ride was about to get a whole lot worse. "Hold on tight!" he warned the girl as he changed gears and streaked towards the middle of the road.

The advantages of being on a bike meant that it was far easier to overtake and slip between moving vehicles. However, the advantage of being in a patrol car with a big wailing siren and flashing lights on top meant that everyone got out of your way. Sharpish.

Inuyasha scowled as he looked in his mirror again, annoyed to see that the traffic was pulling over to make way for the police. Cursing the stupidity of motorists in general, he put on an extra spurt of speed and switched to the opposite side of the road in an attempt to overtake the lorry ahead of him.

Oncoming cars flashed their lights and blared their horns like a line of angry, charging bulls, but Inuyasha was confident of his calculations. He pulled in front of the truck a fraction of a moment before he could collide with the approaching car, which sounded its horn in a long angry complaint. Inuyasha spared a fraction of a moment to flick the driver off before continuing his drastic manoeuvres. He had no time for road rage; the police were still gaining on them.

The tunnel suddenly ended, and Inuyasha was delighted as the road began to grow narrow. It would be hard for the police to catch up when the road was only wide enough for one car, but from the sound of the sirens in the distance, _someone_ had called for backup. Inuyasha realised that there would undoubtedly be a contingent of patrol cars waiting for him at the next crossroad - the usual police trap.

It was time for a U-turn.

"Sorry about this," he called to Kagome, who still clung to him like a petrified koala.

Then, as a convenient break in the oncoming traffic opened up, Inuyasha veered over to the opposite lane again. The stench of burning rubber assaulted his sensitive nose as he applied the brakes and jerked the steering wildly to the right. Tyres screamed in protest as the bike spun in a clumsy 180 degree turn (although Inuyasha put that down to Kagome's added weight rather than his own inability), and the only thing that prevented them from tumbling over was his foot bracing against the road.

Secretly, Inuyasha despaired at how much the new tyres would cost to replace the ones he'd just wrecked. Life never seemed to play him a fair hand…

They set off back towards the tunnel, clocking at speeds that were well over the limit. As they passed the patrol car that had been pursuing them, Inuyasha grinned and gave them a wicked little wave, knowing full well that they couldn't even dream of doubling back for another half mile. He was rewarded with a glimpse of a dirty glare from the male officer with tissue stuffed up his nose.

The bike and its passengers shot back into the orange glow of the tunnel, and for the first time, Kagome shifted against Inuyasha. "What's your plan?" she asked hesitantly, almost as if she was dreading the answer.

"We'll zigzag through back roads and alleys until we lose them," he told her, swerving around a slow moving Honda. "Hopefully, if I know this district better than they do, we'll lose them in no time."

"I don't know, I've watched those police chases on TV, and they never end happily - for the bad guy, I mean." Kagome trembled against his back.

"Do you think we're the bad guys?" Inuyasha checked his mirrors with a paranoid glance.

"I'm honestly not sure anymore," Kagome said. "But we'll never get away, will we?"

"Of course we will," he told her with such bald-faced confidence that Kagome groaned again.

The tunnel seemed much shorter than before, and it wasn't long before they were out onto open roads again, heading back into the cosy suburbia that Inuyasha knew so well. Another cross junction was approaching, and Inuyasha winced as he saw the lights turn red.

Stopping wasn't an option.

A screech of tyres made him glance left, and Inuyasha spotted the patrol car that was racing towards the cross junction from the adjacent road. Already he knew the police's plan of action. They were aiming to ram the bike as it crossed paths with the car and send himself and Kagome flying - straight into hospital judging from the speed the patrol car was moving.

_Idiots_, Inuyasha thought, and quickly began scanning the area ahead of him for a quick escape.

Rather than take the risk of crossing a busy junction on a red light, Inuyasha mounted the sidewalk beside him and turned sharply down a set of steps. Kagome yelped in alarm as the bike tilted at a precarious angle, but there was no helping it. Inuyasha had to make it as difficult as possible for the police to follow him.

The steps led down into an avenue lined with cheap, terraced houses. Not entirely sure if he was driving into a dead end, Inuyasha carried on through the avenue at a steadier speed than before. The sirens in the distance seemed to be multiplying, growing louder with each passing second, and Inuyasha was beginning to take random turns and corners in an attempt to find what he was looking for.

Kagome looked around anxiously. "Where are we going now?"

"Shh!" Inuyasha glanced in the direction of the intensifying sirens. He probably had less than three minutes to get off the road and find a place to hide.

Salvation came in a row of old, rusted garages.

He quickly pulled up alongside them and made in impatient signal at Kagome. "Get off the bike," he ordered, and the girl quickly scrambled off and watched him let the bike drop on the pavement as if he didn't care about the scratches it would cause.

Kagome tugged the helmet from her head and continued to watch Inuyasha in befuddlement as he walked alongside the garage doors, knocking on each one with a deliberate, hard tap. He suddenly stopped beside a grey door with peeling paint and knocked it again for good measure, listening to the echo inside. "Good," he said and quickly bent down to yank the door up.

Whatever lock had been holding it down snapped like a twig under Inuyasha's strength, and the door surged upwards to reveal a dusty, but very empty garage. Crooking a finger at Kagome, the hanyou said, "Get inside, quick."

Kagome didn't need to be told twice, and she hastily scurried into the murky shelter and peered around the gloomy interior. Inuyasha joined her a few moments later, wheeling the silent motorbike with him. Once the two fugitives and the bike were safely inside the garage, Inuyasha tugged the door down - effectively plunging them all into darkness.

A beat of silence passed as no one moved, breathed or said a word, and they listened to the approaching sirens that could only be a few streets away.

Kagome swallowed hard. "Inuyasha, I-"

"Shh." Out of the pitch darkness, a warm hand closed around her wrist and tugged her towards the back of the garage. There, she was sat down on the cold concrete ground with her back to the wall as Inuyasha settled down beside her.

"Can't we turn on the light?" Kagome whispered.

"No," he responded, shaking his head. "Someone might see it."

They both turned towards the garage door and the thin line of street light that shone beneath it. When the roar of an engine rove into hearing range, Kagome flinched and hunkered down to press her fingers against her mouth while Inuyasha waited with baited breath. The siren's wail grew nearer until the flashing lights of the patrol car could be seen beneath the garage door.

Kagome didn't know what she was doing, but the moment she saw the lights, she suddenly leant into Inuyasha and buried her face against his shoulder. He made no move to comfort or reassure her… but he didn't turn her away either.

A few breathless moments passed, and the sirens faded again, along with the lights. Kagome relaxed and glanced at the garage door. "I can't believe you did that…" she whispered. "You _hit _a police officer."

"He was begging for it." Inuyasha shrugged and stood up to move to his bike. It was hard to see what he was doing exactly, but he seemed to be taking something out of one of the panniers. It wasn't long before he rejoined her on the floor with something on his lap.

"What's that?" she asked.

"Scanner," he said bluntly, pressing a button on the device.

It was like a radio - a badly tuned one that gave off a lot of white noise and interference. Kagome frowned as Inuyasha began 'tuning' it. "What are you trying to find, Nerima FM?" she asked sarcastically.

Inuyasha sighed loudly. "It's a police scanner, you nit." He continued fiddling with the device. "It picks up the same frequency as the police's radio transmissions."

Kagome gawped at him. "And just _what _are you doing with one of those? They're illegal!"

She was ignored as Inuyasha continued to tune the device to the right frequency. Occasionally she thought she could hear voices through the scanner, but they faded into white noise no sooner had she heard them. Then finally…

_"…code nine zero delta… please advise… subject has disappeared…over."_ a man's nasal voice said over the static.

"Bingo." Inuyasha set the scanner on the floor before them.

The man continued. _"…suspected GTA, six four seven and two four zero… suggesting a ten-eleven…"_

"_Negative,_" a woman answered. "_Stand by_, _over_."

Kagome was at a loss. "What's going on?" she asked. "What are they saying?"

Inuyasha sighed contemplatively. "They're saying that they want to charge me for Grand Theft Auto, lewd conduct in public areas, and assault on a police officer. The guy with the broken nose wants to get a Chopper out, but base won't spare one."

The teenage girl blinked at him through the darkness. "You understand police code." It was a statement, not an inquiry. "Either you watch too many episodes of Law and Order, or you're not telling me something…"

Inuyasha shrugged. "Hobby."

"No, it's not." Kagome narrowed her eyes. "You've done all this before, haven't you? You've been chased by the police before and that's why you have a scanner and a fake ID - so you can keep track of their plans."

"Why do you think so little of me?" Inuyasha said, contriving to sound innocent.

"Because you're a lying, cheating, two-faced bastard who knows too much about illegal stuff to be legal!" she snapped.

"Ok, that's a very good reason." Inuyasha conceded and went back to listening to the police conversations.

"…_Requesting registration identification… two, zero, alpha, foxtrot…_" The static overwhelmed the voice of the broken nosed cop for a moment before clearing again. _"…echo, four, whisky…over."_

"_Acknowledged, Beta team. Stand by, over_." Kagome and Inuyasha waited a beat before the woman's voice returned. "_Citizen number identified. Inokku Yoshikawa, male, hanyou, age twenty-six, born in Osaka. Registered owner of KLM motorcycle with registration bravo, two, mike, two, two, four_, _over_."

The grouchy response of the male cop came through again. "…_Roger that_."

Kagome poked Inuyasha in the side. "What does-"

"The prick just ran a check on me and found out that I was telling the truth about the bike," he told her.

"_Base_," the male cop suddenly said. "_Please run a database check for the name Inuyasha, either real name or codename_, _over_."

"_Acknowledged. Checking… one citizen found. Died five years ago. Registered member of-"_

A new voice cut in. _"Oh my god! Code red! There is a cow in the road! I repeat: there is a cow in the road!"_

Inuyasha hastily switched the scanner off. "I think we've heard enough of that," he said firmly.

But Kagome frowned into space. "Did that woman just say that you… _died _five years ago?"

Inuyasha made a vague sound. "She was probably talking about some other guy."

"Why don't I believe you?" she pondered with a flat tone.

"Because I'm a lying, cheating, two-faced bastard who knows too much about illegal stuff to be legal?"

"Yeah, that's it." Kagome gave him a fish eyed glare. "You're not a registered member of something, are you?"

"Other than Paedophiles Anonymous? No."

Kagome sighed and dropped her face into her hands. It was obvious that she wasn't going to get an honest, serious answer out of him. "I think we've missed the plane, you know," she said, changing subjects as she rubbed her arms against the growing chill of the evening. "When can we go back to the flat?"

"Not until morning," he replied.

"What?!"

"The police will still be searching the streets for a motorbike," Inuyasha lectured her. "We can't be sure that they've dropped their guard till tomorrow when the night shift goes home."

Kagome sighed loudly. "I guess…" Already she could tell that the garage was about to get a whole lot colder before midnight ever came round. "Well, don't be surprised if you have to tie an ice cube to the back of your bike rather than a girl."

"You cold?"

Kagome couldn't be sure, but she was almost certain that her breath was fogging up into little clouds. "A little," she admitted.

"Well, you know what they say about body heat." Inuyasha suddenly shifted beside her and Kagome felt a pair of rough hands clamp around her waist. She didn't even have time to shriek or protest as he dragged her across his lap and enveloped her against him with his jacket. Kagome was as stiff as the pair of old kecks that she'd found under Inuyasha's sofa, though Inuyasha seemed to be oblivious to her awkwardness. "It's good to share it," he finished.

"I-Inuyasha…" Kagome stuttered. "Are you really twenty-six?"

"That's what it says on my ID."

"And… you're not _actually _apaedophile, are you?"

"And if I am?"

"I'd ask you to put me down."

"Hmmm, better not freeze to death." He wrapped his arms around her, keeping the jacket closed. "Just try and get some sleep. I'll wake you if anything happens."

"Thanks… but somehow I doubt that I'll get any sleep tonight."

But despite her words, Kagome _was _rather tired. It wasn't every day that she was thrown into such a crazy adrenaline-pumping chase. Her weariness was beginning to catch up to her, and Inuyasha's warmth was very soothing for her frazzled nerves. It was only too easy for her to lay her head down on his shoulder and fall into a light slumber, encased in the relaxing scent of a protective male and the warmth of his body.

* * *

Inuyasha wasn't completely resistant to the drowsiness that had been crawling closer for many hours now. He tried to stave it off, but he hadn't slept for nearly three days now, and the cold was getting to him in the aftermath of the chase. Sighing, he wrapped his arms more tightly around the teenage girl and let his eyes close, feeling confident enough to protect her when she was so close. If anyone tried to attack her while he slept, Inuyasha would be the first to know about it.

His head slumped as he began to doze, but even as he gave himself up to the exhaustion, his ears remained perked and alert. They filtered out the usual sounds of Tokyo nightlife - roosting birds, distant car alarms and the sound of traffic - training instead on anything out of the ordinary, such as voices or sirens.

He mustn't have been asleep for long as it was still dark when the sound of a beer can clattering along the pavement outside woke him up. Still half asleep, he roused enough to listen until the footsteps had faded away before dropping his head again and pulling the girl in his arms more tightly against him.

In his sleep muddled mind, he'd forgotten where he was and who he was with. But the smell of the girl's clothes told his addled brain that it was none other than Kikyo. This was odd, as Kikyo wasn't much of a cuddler, so Inuyasha decided it must have been one of those nights when she was too drunk to know what she was doing.

With a contented sigh, Inuyasha moulded his hands against her curves and half-heartedly found her lips with his. "I love it when you're like this, Kikyo…" he murmured before kissing her slowly. The girl's only response was to groan slightly and turn her head away to continue sleeping unmolested.

Typical Kikyo behaviour.

* * *

The young pair of fugitives were in for a very rude awakening the next morning when the owner of the garage arrived home to park his car. There wasn't much warning other than the electric buzz of the remote controlled pulley system that began winching the broken door open. Inuyasha blinked awake in an instant and reacted with the reflexes possessed only by a trained killer.

It probably saved their lives.

"Look out!" Inuyasha quickly threw himself and Kagome to the side as a tattered old banger suddenly lurched into the garage through the opening door. There was a metallic crash as car collided with bike, and Inuyasha watched with horror as his beloved two-wheeler was smooshed into the wall where he'd just been snoozing.

For a split second, Inuyasha thought that the driver was the owner of the garage they were squatting in… but judging by how fast the car suddenly reversed and sped away down the street, Inuyasha had to rethink that conclusion.

Beside him, Kagome was groaning and clutching her head. "Jeez… what's all the noise…?" she muttered with a sleep thickened voice. She cracked her eyes open to look around, then had a double take when she saw the state of Inuyasha's bike. "What… on earth…?"

Feeling like all the wind had been knocked from his sails, Inuyasha tottered over to the bike and heaved it upright. The license plate fell off away with a clatter, and part of the plating covering the midsection gave an ominous crunch as the bike was set right. Inuyasha gazed on in dismay at the wonky handlebars and the cracked mirrors - even part of the leather seat padding had been ripped away as if attacked by an angry cat.

"Ouch…" Kagome commented as she walked up beside him. "That might need a lick of paint to cover the scratches."

Inuyasha gave her a stupefied glare. "You cretin."

"I'm just saying…" she said, shrugging.

Inuyasha gained a deep scowl as he pursed his lips. "She'll still ride," he said decisively as Kagome mouthed the word '_She?_' in disbelief. "Just need to align the bars again…"

As the hanyou grunted and twisted at the bike to get it back into working order, Kagome folded her arms and looked through the open door to the sun filled street beyond. "Did the owner return?"

Inuyasha paused a moment before answering. "Yeah."

"He made off quick…"

"Probably didn't have insurance." She didn't need to know that another possible attempt on her life had been made. Inuyasha would have to find out later who owned a decrepit, little black Ford like the one that had tried to total his bike.

Stepping back, he surveyed his handiwork. "Perfect. This'll be fine."

Kagome peeked around him. "I think you might have twisted it too far the other-"

"Shut up." He pointed to the helmet on the floor. "Put that on."

"Yes, sir." She rolled her eyes and picked up the helmet to jam it over her sleep-ruffled hair. It was probably a blessing that the world couldn't see how roughly she'd slept.

Inuyasha pulled her onto the bike with him as he revved up the engine. It coughed and spluttered for a few moments before coming to life completely. But the hiccupping engine had Kagome raising an eyebrow in criticism and Inuyasha pursing his lips with worry. "She's fine," he reassured her, even though the only one who needed reassuring was himself. "Probably."

"Alright," Kagome sighed, "but if this thing starts falling apart halfway, I'm walking."

* * *

Mrs Higurashi wrung a handkerchief anxiously between her hands as she gazed at the ancient headmaster sitting across from her. Souta sat on a chair beside her, sullenly keeping to himself and kicking the chair leg to a slow rhythm.

Finally, after a short eternity of silence, the headmaster lowered his spectacles to the desk and gave Mrs Higurashi a _look_. The look said everything she needed to know, and what he said next was only needless rambling. "I've called you here today, Mrs Higurashi, because several of your son's teachers have been filing complaints."

Mrs Higurashi nodded stressfully and looked down at her handkerchief.

"Your son, Mrs Higurashi, has been demonstrating extremely bad behaviour over the last few days. He's been using lurid language with the teachers and has been refusing to cooperate in classroom activities."

"I'm terribly sorry," Mrs Higurashi whispered.

"I understand that you and Souta have suffered a tragic loss in the family, but I thought it best to warn you of Souta's behavioural problem before it got out of hand," the headmaster told her. "I have the numbers of several child psychologists, if you're interested."

Mrs Higurashi flinched. "You think my son needs therapy?"

Souta snorted, earning a reproachful look from his mother.

"It is… an option." The headmaster jotted something down on a notepad. "I also suggest therapy for yourself, Mrs Higurashi. This can't be an easy trauma for your family to bear alone. Perhaps it would help if you were given the chance to talk about it with a professional?"

He tore off the page he'd written on and handed it to her. Mrs Higurashi glanced down at the names and numbers on the paper before folding it in half and nodding spinelessly. "Yes, thank you for your advice."

The headmaster was silent, as if waiting for her to say something more - to acknowledge her problem more - but she said nothing. With a sigh he leant back. "You're free to go, Mrs Higurashi. I'm not trying to detain you for punishment."

She gave a fleetingly nervous smile and stood up. "Thank you. Come on, Souta." She reached to take her son's hand, but he refused to give it and walked out ahead of her. With one last cordial nod to the headmaster, Mrs Higurashi followed her son out into the corridor. She caught up with him a few metres away from the head's office.

"Is what he said true?" she asked her son searchingly. "Are you misbehaving?"

"Might." He shrugged apathetically.

Mrs Higurashi winced and knelt down to be level with her son. "You haven't been doing your homework either."

"No."

"Why are you doing this?" she asked, almost pleadingly.

Souta only shrugged again.

Mrs Higurashi tried to dash away the tear that rolled down her cheek before he saw, and quickly pulled him into a one-sided embrace. "I've already lost my little girl, Souta. I don't want to lose my little boy too…"

Souta was silent, his faced pressed against her shoulder as if he didn't have the energy to do anything else. "Why are you always crying…?" he sighed.

* * *

Kagome threw down the cut off legs of her slacks with triumph. "There!" she declared and stood up. "What do you think?"

"Lovely," Inuyasha intoned without even looking up from the newspaper.

"You didn't look," she accused hotly.

"I did, but you just didn't see." He glanced at her again for the benefit of the doubt. "Yep. Very nice."

Considering he had looked at her hair rather than her newly fashioned pair of shorts, Kagome could gather that he was being a typical male. She could have tattooed his name all over her arms and he still would have looked at her ears and congratulated her on the new earrings that she'd been wearing for two weeks.

Giving up, Kagome moved to clear away the excess material before heading over to the kitchen window and peering through the broken glass. "Your plants are dead," she told him, eyeing the window basket full of straggly brown stems and weeds.

"Oh dear," he droned unconvincingly as he sucked the tip of a pen. "What's a European river beginning with R? Five letters."

"Uh… the Rhine, I think…" Kagome filled a cup of water from the sink and began splashing it into the plant pots beneath the window. It probably wouldn't work, but there was no harm in trying to revive the poor, parched flowers.

A knock sounded against the front door. Both Inuyasha and Kagome froze like guilty children, looking at each other in question. Inuyasha slowly put down his newspaper. "Go upstairs," he whispered, enunciating so she could hear him. "Hide under the bed and keep quiet."

The girl nodded and quietly tiptoed across the room to vanish up the staircase.

Inuyasha waited for a moment or two before he was sure that she'd had the chance to arrange her hiding place. Then he glanced around the room for evidence of Kagome's presence – but there was nothing other than the faint aroma of jasmine… oh, and the fact that his flat had never been so clean in its entire history!

Wincing, Inuyasha reached for the door and opened it a few inches. "What is it?"

"That's a fine way to greet a guest." Kikyo barged her way past him and into the flat. She looked around once before turning to fix an even gaze on Inuyasha. "So. Want to tell me who the new girlfriend is?

* * *

Next chapter Something happens Don't know yet because I ain't written it…

* * *

**Fackyews**

**When did Kagome find out Inuyasha's real name?**

When he gave it to her in the second chapter. To quote:

_'"Most people call me Inokku Yoshikawa." he told her._

_The name meant nothing to Kagome. She'd never heard it before._

_"But… you can call me Inuyasha."'_

**Who do you like better? Rin/Sess or Kagura/Sess?**

Despite the number of times I've said 'paedophile' in this fic, I don't actually condone paedophilia, so no Rin/Sess action for me, thanks…

**Is it true that everyone in Britain is ugly, inbred and German?**

Yes, but just the group of people we call the aristocracy (which includes everyone with a royal title (eg, queen, prince, duke earl, etc) and Madonna). They're also stinking rich and their idea of wedding presents include cars, mansions and small islands in the south pacific. Not so unattractive now, eh?

**Have you ever been to France?**

Yes. Several times. By boat, by the Channel Tunnel, mostly by car and throwing up every half hour of each journey. I don't have many fond memories of that place… but I can confirm the myths. Yes, there are many, many gorgeous men in France, but then again I'm from Britain so the frog's legs looked like eligible bachelors to me.

**Have Inuyasha and Kikyo ever had sex?**

That's really for readers to decide for themselves. I've carefully never actually said that they've consummated any past relationship, but I haven't denied it either. So really it's up to you guys. But as the author of this story who controls everything from the weather to how fast the grass grows, I can safely say… maybe.

**How could a cat poke its head through the window when the flat's a few stories up? I smell a plot hole…**

Me too, so I'll attempt to cover my own ass. You know those ledges outside windows that suicidal drama queens like to stand on and shout "I can't bear it anymore!" before they jump? Yeah, well, the cat was standing on one of those. He'd probably crossed from the Crazy Cat Woman's window after smelling the tuna and thought 'Hey, I'll commit suicide some other time'.

**Who's Sango going to be with if Miroku's dead?**

You sound sure that Sango isn't going to die as well.

**I'm still stuck on how they found a body that looks exactly like Kagome...**

They didn't. The body is not even recognisable and couldn't be identified. But I'm not done with this dead girl yet, so sit tight…

**So what does 'sod' mean?**

::headdesk:: Go back a chapter, go to the sentence in which I said "I bet you don't know what sod means…" and then look at the word at the end of the sentence that comes right before that sentence, look at the first three letters of that word and then do some hard thinking… (yay, we're interactive!)

**I love you Rozefire!**

But we haven't even arranged the first date!

**Any non-smartass estimates on the length of this fic?**

No.


	10. The Local Laundrette

**Author'****s Notes: **No more fackyews after this chapter, I'm afraid – unless a really valid question comes up that won't be answered in later chapters.

* * *

**Zero-G**

**Chapter Nine**

**The Local Laundrette…**

"What makes you think I have a girlfriend?" Inuyasha quietly shut the door and leant against it as he observed the young businesswoman moving around his living space.

"Firstly, I've never seen your flat as clean as this. Either you're trying to impress someone or someone's trying to impress you with their cleaning skills." She sat down on a sofa that was normally taken up by old clothes, magazines and empty snack wrappers. "Secondly," she said, giving him a docile smile, "I can smell jasmine in here. Not your usual choice of aftershave, is it, Inuyasha?"

"For all you know, I may have just discovered my feminine side," Inuyasha responded with a light shrug as he moved back towards the kitchen table to resume his crossword. He hoped that if he gave her the cold shoulder, she would leave sooner.

But Kikyo wasn't used to this treatment. Standing up, she marched towards him and snatched the newspaper out of his hands. "And thirdly," she began with a harsh edge to her voice, "you were stopped by the police last night and reported to have been travelling with a girl."

"Was that before or after you heard I got into a chase?" He linked his hands behind his head and gave her a carefree smile, perfectly masking his inner trepidation. "Are you jealous, Kikyo-kun?"

Kikyo scoffed and pulled herself up to sit on the table. "Hardly. From what I heard, the girl you were travelling with was a woman with the face of a brat. Who was she? A prostitute?"

"Ooh – you _are _jealous!" Inuyasha sat up, looking more attentively at her. He saw the way her eyes darkened with annoyance beneath her multiple layers of mascara and knew that the best way to avoid answering her questions was to get her feathers ruffled. "I bet you came all the way over to win me back."

He'd set himself up for a fall, and just as he'd guessed, Kikyo took the bait. "You really think you're worth that?" She sneered at him. "Honest to God, Inuyasha, I'm stumped how you even managed to pick anyone up. She's either blind or so poor and deprived that even _you _look like a decent partner. I wouldn't get too attached, Inuyasha. She might see a tramp scrounging around in a dumpster and decide to upgrade her lover."

Inuyasha ignored the jab. "Then why are you here, if not to make sure I'm still faithful to Kikyo?" He leant back in his chair, balancing it on two legs.

"Just making sure you're keeping out of trouble with the police," she said, crossing her legs primly. "I don't want your spotless record to be smeared now…"

Inuyasha flicked the briefest of glances towards the staircase, wondering if Kagome could hear what was being said. Just in case she _was _eavesdropping, Inuyasha attempted to steer the conversation along less incriminating lines. "So when do you want to meet my new girl?" he asked. "I'm sure she'd _love _to meet you, Kikyo Higurashi of Reggie's cosmetics."

Kikyo cringed at his mistake, but evidently realised it was deliberate for she didn't try to correct him. "Is that so?" she said evenly.

"She's a lovely little thing. Baby faced, is the term I think you were looking for. She's twenty, but every time we try and get a drink in a bar she's always asked for ID, the poor thing." He held up the index finger of each hand as if about to make an important point. "And _she is hhhhot!_ If you know what I mean…?"

For all of Kikyo's denial and cruel barbs, she wasn't a good enough actress to disguise her jealousy… unless she was deliberately playing the part of a jealous ex to keep him keen. "I'm sure I do."

Inuyasha gazed at her for a moment, then said bluntly, "She has a nicer face than you."

There was no other insult that could cut Kikyo to the marrow as surely as that, and what had made it twice as delicious was that it was _true. _For a moment she said nothing, looking at him as if his words hadn't affected her. Then the sole of her boot hit the seat of his chair, mere millimetres from his groin, and slammed the chair back down on four feet. Her hand fisted in the lapels of his cotton shirt, and she jerked him forward until they were practically nose to nose.

Inuyasha regarded her calmly, but inside he was cheering for his blazing victory. It wasn't often that Kikyo lost her cool.

"You're an asshole," Kikyo whispered with venom.

Before he was given a chance to respond, she was in his lap and searing a passionate kiss across his mouth. Inuyasha's hands splayed unresponsively against her back, and his lips were almost reluctant to indulge her. As Kikyo's hands pawed at his cheeks and scored welts across his throat, Inuyasha kept glancing at the staircase with distraction. _But she__'__s only in the next room…_

"What are you thinking?" Kikyo whispered across his moist, sensitive lips. He was about to tell her that he was wondering when the next garbage pick-up was, but then Kikyo began squeezing his ears with those talented fingers of hers… and his eyes crossed. She looked down at his enraptured expression as the corner of her lips curled upwards. "_Who _are you thinking of?"

"You…" he gasped.

"And who do you love and desire above anyone else?" she inquired, pressing her lips against his in short, sweet bursts.

"You… always you…"

This time, when she kissed him, he responded with equal ardency. His hands tugged her carefully pinned hair into disarray to sink his fingers into the unbound silk while her fingernails bit into his shoulders with deliberation. He quickly forgot about the girl upstairs and just how much he hated the one he was kissing, but that always seemed to be the case whenever Kikyo finished wrapping him around her little finger.

Inuyasha didn't know where it would have ended if Kikyo hadn't bit him.

"Fuck!" He threw himself away from her, sending his chair backwards and onto the floor. The coppery taste of blood leeched into his mouth, and he scowled at the businesswoman as he pressed a hand to the cut. She'd bitten his lip so hard that he'd bled… and one needed to bite a hanyou very hard before that ever happened. "What the fuck was that for?!"

Kikyo delicately dabbed her mouth with the back of her hand. "Just leaving a little something to remember me by." She hopped down from the table and gave him a conspiratorial little whisper. "You, uh… may want to avoid letting your little girlfriend find out how you got that."

She flashed him a brief, cruel smile before crossing towards the door and exiting the flat without so much as a word of goodbye. All the better to let him dwell on what had just happened.

* * *

Kagome stared sombrely up at the wooden bed struts above her nose. She could hear Inuyasha climbing the stairs, having grown curious as to why she hadn't bothered coming down after Kikyo had left. She remained where she was, counting the steps as Inuyasha climbed them until he was in the room. 

It wasn't long before he was down on his belly, peering under the bed. "Comfy?" he asked.

Kagome let her head loll towards him and took in the sight of his bloodied lip without a flicker of expression. However, inside she was roiling with disgust. "I know about you two," she told him candidly.

"Yeah, I know." He blew away a dust bunny that he'd narrowly avoided inhaling.

Kagome narrowed her eyes. "How am I supposed to trust you when you have that kind of relationship with her?"

"Our kind relationship isn't exactly romantic or loving," Inuyasha told her lightly, as if talking about the weather. "We hate each other… and this is just our twisted way of hurting one another."

Kagome sighed deeply and turned her head away from him again. "You shouldn't let her treat you like that," she complained. "No one deserves to be treated like that."

"Oh, come on…" Inuyasha cajoled. "It's not like I've done anything to deserve better."

"Why would you say that?" The girl turned a quick, puzzled frown on him. "You saved my life. How many other people would have done that? No one cares about anyone else these days… no one's brave enough to step up to the plate and be different or risk standing out from anyone else. Anyone else would have just watched me drown… but you… you saved me. And if that doesn't automatically make you a better person than the rest of us sheep, then I'm not sure what does."

Inuyasha made an awkward kind of shrug with a vague roll of the eyes.

"Except… your choice in lovers needs a little re-evaluation," said Kagome, "and your personal hygiene is questionable. I'm not even going to talk about the furry things you're keeping in the fridge…"

"They can be quite testy when you don't feed them," Inuyasha nodded seriously.

"But…" Kagome wrinkled her nose as if what she was about to say was particularly difficult. "You're… _fundamentally_… a good person. I think that's all that matters."

"Mm," Inuyasha hummed noncommittally. He didn't seem too pleased with their thread of conversation, and when his phone began beeping in his pocket, it came as a much-needed diversion. With a small sigh, he fished the phone from his jeans and brought it to his ear. "What is it?" he answered.

_"__What'__s the magic word?"_a glib voice asked.

"Obedience." Inuyasha glanced up to see Kagome's puzzled frown and quickly put his hand over the speaker. "Friend… can't do the crossword."

_"__Are you with someone?"_ His caller seemed amused. "_Not a girl, is it?_"

"It is." Inuyasha diverted his eyes from Kagome so she wouldn't think he was talking about her. "Is there something I can help you with?"

"_Why, yes_." The voice got down to business. "_The boss wants you to take care of a little problem for him._"

"Oh…?"

_"__We already gave you the problem'__s name and address… in fact, the boss is a little impatient that you haven'__t solved the problem already_."

"I was getting round to it." Inuyasha retorted.

"_Not getting cold feet, are you? There'__s nothing worse than an employee who can'__t do his work…_"

Kagome had grown bored by now and had gone back to counting the wooden slats under the bed. Reassured that she could only hear his half of the conversation, Inuyasha answered carefully. "My feet are fine, thank you for asking."

"_Good. Do the job today… we need this problem sorted._" The caller hung up rather promptly after that.

Inuyasha lowered the phone and stared thoughtfully at the ceiling for a few moments before looking to Kagome. "I have to go to work," he told her, somewhat reluctantly.

She gave a shrug. "You know, regarding this whole Kikyo thing…" she started, having dwelt on the Kikyo thing for the entirety of the phone call. "You should grow a back bone."

Inuyasha stared at her. "The all-knowing wisdom of a fifteen year old… how precious."

She glared at him. "Think about it, ok? Don't let her treat you like some kind of… I don't know… some kind of slave."

Inuyasha smiled slightly and shook his head. "I'm not a slave to Kikyo."

"Then you _like _the way she treats you?" Kagome was finding it difficult to grasp the relationship between them. Hate? Love? Which was it? "Are you some kind of masochist?"

He gave another indistinct smile. "Perhaps. But not in any physical sense. I hate Kikyo from the bottom of my heart, and my soul would sing with joy if she was ever thrown from her high horse into ruin like she honestly deserves. True evil didn't mean anything until Kikyo came along and epitomised it. So trust me when I say that my relationship with Kikyo never stood in the way of my plan to help you."

Kagome wrinkled her forehead as her confusion only increased. "If you hate her so much… then why are you in love with her…?"

"Love…?" Inuyasha echoed incredulously.

"If what you say is true, and you've been broken up for ages – then why do you still have her clothes around the flat? Why are her shoes in the closet? Why do you let her waltz into your home like she owns it and let her have you b-begging at her feet? I mean, why? I've seen the way you look at her… but I don't understand it. This isn't what you do when you hate someone."

"Isn't it?" he asked. "Hate and love are two very similar emotions, Kagome."

The girl scoffed. "They're entirely opposite!"

"Really? When you hate someone, you're obsessed with them. When they walk into a room, your eyes follow every move they make. When you see them, your heart starts beating faster, and you spend an unhealthy amount of time thinking about them. Doesn't that sound familiar? Isn't this exactly the same as love?"

Kagome said nothing.

"It's a very thin line that runs between the two emotions," Inuyasha told her. "Why is it hard for you to believe that someone can stand on the line? To be both and neither at once. Besides, I'm a hanyou. It's what I do best."

Kagome was sure that wasn't how love and hate worked. "I don't understand you… you aren't making any sense."

He sighed. "Maybe you'll understand when you're older."

"Why, you patronising little - ack!" Kagome broke off her tirade with a yelp as Inuyasha deftly goosed her in the ribs. Instinctively, she rolled out of his reach and gave him a furious glare. The blush, she told herself, was a result of embarrassment… and not some other strange emotion.

"I have to go to work," he repeated, beginning to stand. "Do whatever you like while I'm gone, just don't do anything you know I wouldn't approve of."

Kagome glowered after him. "Where is it that you work?" she demanded, shimmying out from under the bed to see him. "What do you do?"

He shrugged. "I just… solve problems."

* * *

The knock was brisk and professional, giving the exact impression that Inuyasha had wanted. It only took a few moments for the occupant to open the door a crack and peer out at him. "What is it?" The man wore a napkin tucked into his shirt, and Inuyasha realised that he'd probably interrupted dinner. 

"Meter man," Inuyasha responded, flashing an official looking ID that he'd mugged from the janitor downstairs, along with his reflective white jacket. "I'm here to read your meter."

The man didn't even bother looking at the ID before he opened the door wider and stepped back to let him inside. "You people can't call at any sane time, can you?"

"Never, sir." Inuyasha remarked cheerfully and stepped into the neatly arranged apartment. The man was obviously well off, and Inuyasha let his eyes skim across the wide plasma TV with a certain degree of envy. He would have been able to buy one of those if he hadn't blown half of Kikyo's money on those plane tickets for Kagome…

He had to make an effort not to think about that. The thought of all that wasted money made him want to strangle someone – namely the girl.

"This way," The man led him from the main living area into the bedroom. He walked up to a panel of built-in wardrobes and slid back one of the mirror covers. "In there. And be quick about it."

"Of course, sir." Inuyasha acknowledged humbly and moved forward to peer into the closet. As Inuyasha began jotting down the number on the meter, he heard footsteps behind him as his victim left him to it. Inuyasha glanced behind him suspiciously… normally people were very anal about watching strangers in their homes.

Nevertheless, it gave Inuyasha the opportunity to prepare himself for his ugly task.

He quickly transferred the knife he'd been hiding in his boot to the jacket pocket – mere seconds before he heard the man returning. Now it was only a matter of putting the notepad into his pocket and swapping it for the knife. The guy wouldn't even see it coming…

Well, only briefly…

Inuyasha heard the man stop behind him and smiled blandly as he began closing the mirrored door, returning the notebook to his pocket as he did so. "All done," he said, looking through the mirror to see the man behind him…

…and the knife that was being raised behind his back.

Inuyasha's smile died instantly. He turned to try and counter the attack, but he proved too slow as the cold edge of the blade bit into his neck…

* * *

Kagome sighed as she picked up the kitchen chair and set it back in its place beside the table. From the upturned chair and the sounds she'd heard while Kikyo had been here, Kagome could easily guess what had taken place and where. Shaking her head, she tried to put her cousin's visit out of her mind and concentrate on more productive tasks. 

However, she was at a loss with what to do with herself. The flat was quite clean and organised, save for the few dents in the wall that she'd made – along with the broken window – but they were beyond Kagome's capability to fix. So instead, she simply started exploring.

It began with the cupboards in the kitchen as she went through each one, learning their contents and memorising it all for later use. She found cupboards full of tinned food that dated back from five years ago, and even a few that had passed their use-by-date _ten _years ago. Kagome did Inuyasha a favour and threw most of these away. It wasn't like he could eat these without killing himself anyway…

The fridge was in no better condition. The little light didn't work when she opened the door, and Kagome had strange suspicions about what was growing at the back of those darkened shelves. Fearing for her safety, Kagome closed the door quickly and made a mental note to remind Inuyasha to buy fresh groceries… and perhaps clean out his fridge more often.

Continuing her exploration of the finer details of Inuyasha's flat, Kagome poked and prodded her way towards the broken window above the sink. She attempted to open it, but failed miserably. Inuyasha hadn't been joking when he'd said they're been nailed shut for years, although there were a fair few layers of paint gluing the frame to the sill. Ever the intrepid handy-girl, Kagome selected one of more solid looking kitchen knives and began the arduous task of bending the nails back from the frame, then slid the blade under the window itself to start prying it open millimetre by millimetre.

After a lot of wiggling and growling, the window finally sprung outwards and bounced against the wall – sending a few extra shards of glass raining down on the scraggy little yard below. Kagome glanced down, unimpressed by the flat's so-called garden; it was little more than tufts of yellow grass and a lot of cracked paving stones.

Looking around, Kagome saw signs of normal daily life. Cars passed along the road to her right, and two little boys were playing in one of the fenced off gardens to her left – both shooting each other with water pistols. Kagome was momentarily taken by surprise when she saw one of them was wearing a rather wet red shirt with a large green stripe across the middle… but then she had to remind herself that there were a lot of families who still wore whatever the hell they wanted in their own homes. You just didn't see it that often.

For a moment, Kagome's depression caught up with her again. Just these little signs of everyday life were enough to have her longing for what she'd once had. She spotted a small group of schoolgirls walking down the pavement to her right, laughing at some story that one of them was telling. None of them were concerned about anything beyond their own lives.

Kagome Higurashi had died… but the world hadn't stopped for her. Life obviously went on no matter who died.

She wondered what would eventually happen if she did what Inuyasha said and went into hiding. Would her family eventually recover from their grief and get on with their lives? They had all done as much when Kagome's father had passed away… but somehow, Kagome would feel cheated… like they'd forgotten her or something…

Feeling more confused and conflicted than ever, Kagome looked miserably at the dead plants under the windowsill, as if her grieving for her own death was what had withered them. Judging from the tags that were still poking out of the soil, the flowers had once been petunias… but they'd been dead for years.

_I'__ll throw them out and buy new ones if Inuyasha ever lets me go shopping…_

Kagome picked up two of the plant pots and carted them off to dump them in the bin. When she went back to collect the final one, she noticed something lying in the bottom of the window box.

A little black book.

Setting down the dead flowers, Kagome picked up the book and began leafing through the moisture warped pages. Names and addresses marked several pages, but they didn't seem to be arranged in any particular order.

An address book, perhaps? But what was it doing hiding under a plant pot?

Kagome moved to sit down on the sofa as she continued to rifle through the book. Eventually she flipped straight to the last page to be confronted with two lists of names. Most were slashed through, but only one – the last name on the right list – was still bold and stroke-free… and written in fresh ink.

Scanning the lists, Kagome was surprised to realise that she recognised some of the names.

Was that Miroku Hoshi, the porn star who'd hung himself? Why was his name crossed out? What about Fukurou Mizutani? Wasn't that Yuka's asshole of an uncle who had died of a heart attack recently? Why was _his _name crossed out as well? And General Yasunaga? Hadn't he been shot dead by a stray bullet from a squad of training cadets five months ago? And that was Ambassador Ivanov, wasn't it? The Russian peace delegate who had been killed when he'd mysteriously driven his own car into a canal?

The last name on the list, the one which hadn't been crossed out, belonged to Daisuke Hoshi… a relation of Miroku Hoshi, perhaps?

Closing the book, Kagome worried her lower lip with growing anxiety. As far as she could tell, this was a list of dead people.

_Either Inuyasha has a lot of friends that wind up dead, or… or…_

The other option was too horrifying to even imagine, but Kagome couldn't see any other explanation…

* * *

Inuyasha dropped against the bedroom wall with an agonised gasp. Blood was seeping steadily between the fingers he held clamped to his neck, pooling into a heavy stain on his shirt and leaking down his back. Looking in the few remaining shards of the mirror, Inuyasha could see that he hadn't done a very clean job. Little bloody fingerprints marked the walls and carpet, and even the corpse on the floor, like some macabre little child had gone on a finger-painting frenzy. 

Somehow, the prick he'd been sent to kill had realised that he wasn't _actually _a Meter Reader and had tried to assassinate the assassin before Inuyasha could act. This little blunder had cost Inuyasha very dearly, but not enough to stop him from turning the tables on the old man by stealing his knife and ramming it through his heart.

But now Inuyasha's blood was everywhere, and he hadn't a chance in hell of cleaning it up in time. He was just lucky that the police didn't have his DNA on file. Yet.

It would have been wise to make a quick getaway, but Inuyasha just didn't have the energy to move. His heart pumped slowly, pushing blood from the wound on his neck with each beat and throbbing throughout every fibre of his body. His cold hand wasn't doing a good job of stemming the blood flow, so he eventually reached out to snag an abandoned sweater that had fallen on the floor at some point during the scuffle. Inuyasha pressed it to his neck and closed his eyes for a brief moment.

When he opened them again, twenty minutes had passed.

"This is fucking ridiculous…" he gasped out, carefully pushing himself to his feet despite his unsteady legs and stumbled over the dead man on his way to the ensuite bathroom. Once there, he leant over the sink, turned the taps onto full blast, and attempted to wash away most of the blood from his hands and face. A quick glance in the mirror as he peeled away the blood-soaked sweater told him that the wound was already beginning to knit together at last as the reliable youkai blood within him began the healing process. And since his blood and fingerprints were everywhere anyway, Inuyasha dumped the sweater in the bath tub and didn't bother wiping the tap handles clean as he turned them off.

He still looked a pale, awful sight when he exited the bathroom, but he didn't look nearly so bad as the dead guy. As he leant against a nearby wall, he brought out his mobile and dialled the number of the police station. While he waited for someone to pick up, he closed his eyes wearily and pressed a hand against his stinging throat.

"Hello, police headquarters, how may I help you?" a rather nasal woman answered.

"I need you to relay a message to the chief of police," he said, his voice a little raw and rough edged.

"Who is this?" the woman demanded, growing uncertain.

"Just tell him… that as of right now, Daisuke Hoshi is a dead man."

"This is a private line – how did you get hold of this number?"

"Yours sincerely, the Coalescence." Inuyasha finished the message and hung up. The woman would no doubt be scrambling to get a caller ID on him, but it was useless.

Inuyasha slipped the phone back into his pocket and straightened away from the wall. With one last glance at the dead man on the floor, he turned, stripped off his borrowed jacket and ID and left to meet back up with headquarters.

He had some catching up to do with Sango Hara.

* * *

"You look like shit." The female officer sneered as Inuyasha sat down in the chair opposite her. 

"You look a hundred times worse than shit," he reminded her. "So, how's the diet going?"

She made a face. "As planned. I'm starving. Does that make you happy?"

Inuyasha gave a mild shrug, feeling lethargic and exhausted. "Sort of."

Sango waited for the interrogation to begin, but after a few minutes and only a few yawns from Inuyasha, she was beginning to grow frustrated. "Aren't you going to ask me for information?" she spat.

"Why bother if you're not going to give it to me today?" he retorted. "We haven't broken you yet… and until we do, you're not going to give us a lick of information."

That was true. It was beginning to unnerve Sango that he'd planned things out so well. Her training had only equipped her to deal with a few days, maybe even weeks of terrorist interrogation. The idea was that she would be rescued before she ran out of resistance… but when her father didn't even know where to begin searching, how was she supposed to be rescued?

"I killed Daisuke Hoshi today." Inuyasha said suddenly.

Sango stiffened and stared at him with wide eyes. "You're lying."

"Who do you think did this to me?" he gestured to his neck. "He damn near took my head off. I nearly died of blood loss beside him."

"Then you left DNA all over the crime scene!" Sango said in triumph. "Your days are numbered-"

"Doubt that. They don't have my DNA on file. And even if they did, the hanyou they're looking for died five years ago." He shrugged with a vague smile. "They don't even have my fingerprints."

Sango frowned tentatively. "But you're still lying. Daisuke Hoshi is the father of my friend! He's survived countless assassinations!"

"Do you mean your friend Miroku Hoshi?" Inuyasha cocked his head. "Yeah, I killed him too."

This, Sango could believe. "It figures," she said bitterly. "I never bought the excuse of suicide."

"So… your friend and his father are gone. Who's next?" Inuyasha folded his arms and gave another yawn. "Your mother? Your little brother? What about your father? Heck, I'll even kill your little kitty cat if you don't tell me something soon."

Sango's head dropped.

"We'll withhold the food as well until you-"

"This isn't how it's supposed to happen!" Sango suddenly shouted, cutting off Inuyasha's lecture. "Terrorists don't interrogate like this! The things you're doing – they're police tactics!"

Inuyasha just looked at her blandly.

"How do you know about Freedom, Faith and Family?!" she demanded angrily. "We call it humane interrogation – only we threaten the family of the person we're interrogating – we never actually _kill _them!"

"I told you," said Inuyasha, "I've done this before."

"How could you have-"

"Last time, I was sitting in that chair." Inuyasha nodded towards Sango.

The police officer shut up and gaped at him softly. "You… oh, I see. So you think you know all the tricks, do you?"

Inuyasha got to his feet and moved to the window. "I _do _know all the tricks. Except I only lasted six months…" Inuyasha pulled the catch on the window and opened it up to peer out. "Hey, there's a drain pipe right outside this window, you know…"

Sango blinked at him stupidly.

"Wow, that's even strong enough to hold a human," he said, giving the pipe a shake.

Sango frowned. "What are you…?"

"Nothing," Inuyasha said, closing the window, but conveniently forgetting to lock the catch again. He paused for a moment before slanting his gaze back to Sango. "I'm surprised you haven't escaped by now."

Sango just continued to stare.

Walking up nice and close, Inuyasha bent down to rest a hand against her shoulder and put his mouth to her rounded, fleshy human ear. "I'm going to put you in total isolation. No one will be allowed to see or talk or… _interrupt _you until tomorrow when I return."

Sango swallowed.

"If I find you here when I come back into this room, same time tomorrow, I will not be a happy puppy." He straightened a little to look her in the eye. "And if I hear that the chief of police's kidnapped daughter returns to her father's side, then I'll be sent to kill you and I won't even argue."

"Are you serious?" Sango breathed. "Or is this just some sort of psyche out tactic to throw me?"

Inuyasha shrugged. "I may be bluffing… but I honestly don't see how your situation could get any worse."

Sango continued to watch him with a vast sense of trepidation. She certainly didn't trust him, but if what he said was true… and he'd been through exactly the same ordeal as herself, then perhaps she'd somehow won this killer's sympathy without realising…

Inuyasha headed towards the door. "If I ever hear the name Sango Hara again, I'll kill you. Got that?"

She didn't answer, but after he'd left she tested her bonds… and was amazed when they fell away with the snap of a thread.

Had he done that…?

* * *

Two o'clock came around and Kagome, fearing that Inuyasha might return and find her snooping through his private business, speedily returned the black book to its position in the window box and covered it with the dead petunias again. She then watched some more black and white television to pass the time till Inuyasha came home. 

Three o'clock arrived, but Inuyasha still hadn't returned. Kagome switched the TV off and began hunting for another task to pass the time with. Sock arranging came to mind.

By four o'clock, all the socks had been paired and sorted into two piles – the clean pile and the oh-dear-god-what-is-that-unholy-smell pile. Kagome stuffed the latter pile into a black bin liner, along with the ODGWITUS pile of underpants. Of course, she used one of the cooking spatulas to transport some of the more frightening pairs as she was almost certain that some of them had been left in the laundry bin for so long that they'd bred their own civilisations of germs.

When five o'clock came, Kagome had a full bin bag of laundry and no washing machine. She remembered seeing one next to the public baths… but she decided to wait for Inuyasha to return before she took liberties with his washing. Besides, it probably wouldn't be long before he returned from that mysterious job of his. For what could have been the hundredth time, Kagome wondered what it was exactly that Inuyasha did as a day job. A problem solver… maybe he worked in IT? Data Recovery?

But six o'clock rotated into view, and still there was no sign of Inuyasha. The sun was beginning to dim outside as the evening approached, and Kagome finally decided that she was sick of waiting for an unpunctual asshole. Picking up her bag of laundry and the half dozen coins she'd found down the back of the sofa (during one of her more daring explorations), Kagome marched out of the front door and made a beeline for the laundrette.

Going out alone was strangely daunting, Kagome discovered. Why was it that when she crossed the road, she felt as if someone was watching her? She turned to look behind her, even though she knew it was her own paranoia acting up. Ever since someone had made that attempt on her life, she hadn't realised how mistrustful she'd become…

The laundrette was crammed when Kagome entered. All the washing machines were chunnering happily along the walls, and there must have been fifty odd people sitting along the row of benches that ran down the middle of the room.

The whole neighbourhood must have been doing all its washing in that one little laundrette. Kagome timidly walked past the mothers, husbands, bachelors and grandparents that made up the patrons sitting along the benches. A few people were holding conversations, but most were just watching their washing spinning in the drums in front of them - the rest were busy reading romance novels. Kagome moved along, looking for an unoccupied seat or an unused washing machine.

But the only vacant seats happened to be beside the young, white-haired hanyou who was sitting in his underwear and reading one of those steamy romance novels.

Kagome stopped dead. _Oh no…_

Inuyasha seemed to hear her thoughts, because at that very moment he lifted his head and fixed his eyes on her. Recognition lit up his face like a light, and he casually raised a hand to greet her. "Hey," he said cheerfully.

Distractedly, Kagome wondered why the people around him were giving him such a wide berth. Was it because he was a hanyou? Or was it because he was half naked? Maybe it was both…

"What are you doing?" She stared at him impassively, although she made sure that her gaze stayed above his waist.

"My washing," he replied, jerking a thumb towards the vibrating washing machine in front of him.

Kagome leant down curiously to peer inside. "You're not supposed to put your whites in with your blacks," she told him slowly. "They'll turn grey." The only good thing that had come about from banning coloured clothes was that washing suddenly became much simpler, but trust Inuyasha to screw that up.

"Ah…" He looked thoughtfully at the washing machine for a moment before going back to his book. "Never mind."

"Ninety-five degrees?" Kagome's eyes widened as she read the settings. "God – your _blacks _will go grey! What are you trying to do – remove the dye?!"

Inuyasha shrugged, chewing on a nail as his eyes darted across the page he was reading. "They got really dirty at work. I had to wash them."

"Well, couldn't you have waited?" Kagome held up the bin bag with a small sigh of exasperation. "I was about to do your washing anyway. In fact, why didn't you just come home first? You could have… at least… gotten a change of clothes…"

Kagome let her guard slip as her eyes strayed down to ogle the boxers he was wearing. She quickly caught herself and looked away, but in her head she was laughing. _Why am I not surprised? _she thought, trying to get the image of white boxers with red hearts out of her mind.

"Yeah… but they were real dirty…" he said idly. "You wouldn't have appreciated me walking into the flat with all that… mud dripping off me."

Kagome frowned. "What is it that you do, again?"

"Uh… I run errands for people. I'm a courier actually."

How boring. She'd thought it was bound to have been infinitely more interesting than _that. _Kagome stood stupidly for a moment before realising that everyone was staring at her – but when she stared back, they quickly returned to watching the machines and their magazines. Again, was it because she was talking to a hanyou? Or was it because she was talking to a half naked nutter?

Despite her life long effort of trying to blend in with the crowd and stick to the rules, Kagome found she was too tired to bother keeping it up. Inuyasha may have stuck out like a sore thumb, but she had very little choice other than to stick out with him. She sat down next to him in the vacant seat and put the bin bag between her knees. With no machine available, she was trapped into watching Inuyasha's clothes going round in the washing machine…

…and round… and round… and round…

Kagome shook herself and glanced over at the book Inuyasha was reading.

…_and when she looked up, he was there. "__Adrian,"__ she murmured heatedly. With eager hands, she reached out and grabbed hold of his-_

_Whoa! _Kagome diverted her gaze hastily, feeling her face heat up. "Good book?" she questioned in a slightly strained voice.

"It's alright…" he said with a lack of enthusiasm. "Characterisation's a bit dry…"

"I see…" But all she was seeing were white boxers with red hearts dancing before her eyes.

"You alright?" he suddenly asked. "You look a little flushed."

"Um… it's a little hot in here." She tugged at the collar of Kikyo's grey jacket for emphasis and tried to smile reassuringly at him, but her eyes darted back to his lap helplessly.

Suddenly a coy smile tilted Inuyasha's lips. "I bet I can guess what you're thinking…" he teased.

Kagome passed a hand over her eyes as she sank further down in her seat with sheer embarrassment. _Oh, god, I hope not…_

"Rest assured," he said, patting himself. "These ain't no socks."

Kagome bolted to her feet with the force of a volcanic eruption. "_You'__re impossible!"_she hissed between her teeth and stomped off to find a seat as far away from the hanyou as possible – bur not before she did a quick u-turn to wave a lecturing finger in his face. "And _so_ wrong!"

Inuyasha watched as the steaming girl promptly stalked away down the line of benches, dragging the bin bag in her wake. "Sign of a guilty conscience," he muttered righteously to himself.

Needless to say, he knew all about guilty consciences.

* * *

/end of chapter

* * *

**Fackyews**

**Uh… isn't it spelt Pedophile?**

Yes. In America. In most other English speaking countries it's paedophile with an A, I don't know why, but maybe because it's closer to the original Greek. But please guys, if you honestly think I'm making a repetitive spelling error like 'paedophile' or any other word that seems to have extra As or Us, go and check an online dictionary – NOT Webster's or dictionary-dot-com because they contain only American-English and that obviously defeats the point…

**What are kecks?**

Technically, trousers. But I've often seen it in reference to underwear – and in the context of the last chapter, Inuyasha's kecks were Inuyasha's knickers.

**Have you eaten frog?**

No. A) Because I once had a dream where a frog ate me. B) Because I'd much rather marry one.

**What's a truncheon?**

A thing that policeman use to bonk people over the head. It's long, black and shiny and I have an old-fashioned wooden one hiding in the bottom of my sock drawer. Never mind why, I just do.

**Does it ever get tiring to read so many questions on your spelling and grammar?**

::yawn:: Oh yeah…

**If Kasumi and Inokku only share a biological mother, why would they share a surname?**

If Inokku was adopted by Kasumi's mother then they would end up sharing a surname.

**Is Kagome a virgin?**

Is… that really relevant? ::sigh:: I think it's pretty safe to say: Yes, she is.

**Is that real police code?**

Yes. Mostly. But I doubt the arrival of a cow would call for 'Code Red'.

**So, how old is Inuyasha?**

Hold on a second… ::fetches sharp, pointy kitchen knife:: Right, now ask me that again.

**Was the suggestive part with the trousers inspired by a certain manga scene?**

To be blunt…? No.

**Est-ce que vous parlez de fracais?**

Oui… assez á demander pour la nourriture – et aussi la phrase: "Aide! Je suis mangé par une grenouille!"

**What are your views on Jaken?**

Highly misunderstood and under appreciated, but rather a lot of fun to step on.


	11. A Lesson Taught

**Author****'s Notes: **Tadaa! New chapter!

* * *

**Zero-G**

**Chapter Ten**

**A Lesson Taught…**

The fresh aroma of coffee drifted around the flat like a thick, caffeine packed mist. Kagome stared off into space while she listlessly stirred the coffee she'd been mixing for the last five minutes. Coffee was quite possibly the last thing on her mind - she was too busy imagining some kind of reunion between herself and her family, as well as plotting a way to make such a reunion possible.

Only when a metallic crash and a loud curse sounded from far below the window was Kagome pulled from her fantasies. Biting her lip, she leant forward and peered down into the scraggy garden below. "Everything ok?" she called.

"It's fucking wonderful!" came Inuyasha's not very convincing response. "Where's my damn coffee!"

Kagome had to resist the surprisingly strong temptation to stick the mug out the window and pour its contents over the hanyou's head. But that would have been highly immature of her, so she decided against it. Instead, she clenched her teeth, picked up the coffee and toddled her way to the front door and down the stairs to meet Inuyasha around the back of the building.

When she reached him, she realised that he hadn't made as much progress in restoring his bike to its former glory than she'd originally thought.

"How's it going?" she asked, making an attempt at polite conversation as she set the coffee down beside him.

"What do you think?" he growled.

Kagome cocked her head as she looked at the bike… or the strangely shaped vehicle which vaguely resembled a bike. Both wheels had been removed and were leaning against the side of the building while various pieces of bodywork were lying in piles around Inuyasha. "Um… why did you strip those bits off?" she asked tactfully. "They were only a little scratched and dented."

"Because the police will be looking for a black bike with red flames." Inuyasha picked up a canister of black spray paint and tossed it to Kagome. She caught it clumsily and only narrowly avoided spraying solvent in her face. "Now that you're here, you can help," he told her. "You can start with those pieces over there."

Kagome cast a scrutinising eye between the canister in her hand and the heap of stripped bodywork behind the hanyou. Then she looked at his untouched coffee and wondered what coffee beans and black paint tasted like, and would it or would it not be worth killing a hanyou over just to see the look on his face?

_Here I am being nice and making him coffee and doing messy work for him, and all he can do is grouse and order me around like a slave!_ Kagome thought as she carefully crouched down next to the pile of bodywork and shook the canister with a clatter. Holding a hand over her mouth to protect herself from the fumes, she began spray painting over the red flames on the hard plastic panels.

Of course, her pleasantness and eagerness to please wasn't without an ulterior motive. Pausing in her work, the girl glanced over at Inuyasha. "I think I may be getting black paint on these clothes…"

"Why worry?" He shrugged in response. "They're not yours."

Too true. "Yeah… in fact, none of these clothes are my own."

Inuyasha stopped tinkering with one of the engine valves to glare at her. "What do you want?"

"Nothing much…" she said breezily, passing the paint can between her hands. "But I was hoping that _maybe _you could lend me some money to buy clothes that fit and don't look like they belong to a senile fifty year old woman with horrendous fashion sense."

"You look fine in what you're wearing now." Inuyasha eyed her critically. "You don't need new clothes.

Kagome stood up in a flash and lifted the hem of Kikyo's jacket to show him the waistline of her skirt - which was naturally riding rather low on her hips. It already displayed ample amounts of Kagome's underwear, but even the slightest movement had the skirt threatening to slip lower.

Inuyasha blinked at her slowly. "….and?" he prompted

"I'm not even going to show you how badly the bras fit." Kagome dropped the hem of the jacket and hiked the skirt back up to an acceptable height. "I _need _new clothes."

The hanyou sighed and turned back to his work, trying to drop the subject. "Why don't you just put some weight on? You're too skinny anyway."

"This isn't a matter of who's fat and who's thin, Inuyasha!" And just what kind of face would the irritating hanyou make if she turned the canister on his hair? "I can't wear these clothes because-"

"Kikyo has bigger breasts and curvier hips?" he finished for her, pausing to take a sip of his coffee. "You know, this is really cold-"

Kagome snatched the coffee from his hands and hurled the contents into the bed of dead flowers nearby before dropping the mug onto the cracked pavestones between them. She glared at him defiantly, but Inuyasha only returned her glare with a look of reproach that a teacher might give a disobedient child. "Well, _that _was mature."

"As I was about to say, I can't wear these clothes because the last thing I want to wear right now are the things of the woman who tried to kill me!"

"They're just clothes," he pointed out.

"Well, how would you like to walk around in the skirt of your worst enemy – especially when it keeps falling down?" she shot back.

"One: I would never in heaven, earth or hell, wear a skirt. And two: if your only other option is to walk around naked…?" Inuyasha picked up a wrench and waved it with dismissal. "You should just live with the evil skirt in that case."

"Yes, and that's why I'm asking for money to buy _new _clothes," Kagome pressed blackened fingertips together. "Seriously, I don't have a job anymore so I haven't got any money, and it's not like you're going to let me borrow off my family."

"Duh…"

"Oh, _please,_ Inuyasha?" Kagome bobbed slightly in a semi-curtsey. "It's bad enough that I can't be Kagome Higurashi anymore, but to pretend to be Kikyo as well?"

"You're not pretending to be anyone!" Inuyasha suddenly snapped. "You're just wearing her clothes, that's all!"

Kagome held her breath for a moment, waiting until she was sure it was safe to speak again without provoking his temper. "But…" she started softly, earnestly. "I don't like being in these clothes… I don't like you looking at me in these clothes."

Inuyasha glanced up at her, confusion and irritation warring across his features. "What?"

The girl sighed. "Why do I feel that you're thinking of Kikyo when you see me in these clothes? Everyone says that we both look so alike that we could be sisters… so when I wear these clothes, you can't tell me that you aren't reminded of her."

Inuyasha shrugged and looked away.

Kagome hiked up her sliding skirt again. "If you hated her _half _as much as I do, you'd have me burn these clothes right now and make me wear a potato sack if need be."

"A tempting idea," Inuyasha spun the wrench between his fingers. "But if you're so bloody adamant, then go ahead. There's some money in the safe upstairs - it's in the cupboard beside the fridge. You can take about… fifty thousand yen."

Kagome gasped and suddenly surged forward to fling her arms around his neck from behind. "Thank you!"

"Ugh… don't do that…" Inuyasha griped, but he didn't sound all that convincing.

"You won't regret this!" she assured him, squeezing his shoulders. "And I'll get some food while I'm there - and I'll cook you a nice dinner! Do you like Oden?"

"No."

"Well, you will after tonight." She began to pull away, but Inuyasha's hand stayed her arms. "What is it?" she asked.

"No going to your usual haunts," he warned her seriously. "You can't risk being recognised by anyone. Try shopping at that little district about half a mile down the road, south ways. You've never been there, right?"

Kagome shook her head slowly.

"Know anyone that does?"

She shook her head again.

"Good." He released her arms. "The safe's code is 1234."

"Thanks," Kagome said earnestly. She gave him a quick kiss on a rigid ear before straightening and rushing back around the corner of the building to get ready for her outing.

Inuyasha gazed after her, rubbing his ear absently before sighing. _She__'s a good fibber… but not good enough._

* * *

When Kagome had bid her goodbyes to Inuyasha with money burning holes in her oversized pockets and a kick in her step, he had waved her off pleasantly and waited till she was far enough down the road before following her. The young girl was blissfully unaware of being tracked as she toddled down the pavement while Inuyasha followed at a generous distance, ducking into alleys and doorways every time Kagome chanced to look over her shoulder.

The first stop was a shoe store. The girl spent an unhealthy amount of time in this place… but Inuyasha was soon to learn that it was nothing compared to what came after. He must have hung around in the shop's alley for nearly a whole hour before Kagome emerged again - looking happier now that she was carrying at least three pairs of new shoes. With a curiously dry mouth at the thought of all that money she was using to _step _on, Inuyasha followed her to the next shop.

A clothes store.

Inuyasha got impatient after an hour and dared a sneak peek through the shop window. There was Kagome, in the back of the shop, working out which clothes suited her best with the shop assistant. He noticed that she'd put one of the new 'weekend uniforms' on her pile of must-have clothes. Evidently, Kagome intended to keep as much within the law as possible, despite being a near fugitive already…

White seemed to be this season's colour, along with harsh contrasts of white and black in geometrically styled dresses. Kagome took no exception to the laws of fashion, and her basket was soon overflowing with her favourite articles of clothing. Inuyasha ducked back into the alley as she _finally_ headed for the till to pay for her new clothes… then it was off to investigate the hat shop.

If there was ever an award for the most unnecessary store in the world, Inuyasha would have given it to the hat shop. No one _needed _a hat - not unless they had something on their head that they wished to hide… like ears, perhaps.

Fortunately, however, Kagome didn't spend very long in this particular shop, and soon emerged with only a small bag in hand.

Inuyasha shook his head in bewilderment at female logic in general and continued after her as she headed for the local supermarket. He followed her inside to make sure that she didn't slip out of the back entrance without him knowing, and hid himself discreetly down aisles of vegetables to avoid detection. But when Kagome finished paying for her basket of groceries and went for a quick break in the little girl's room, Inuyasha wondered if he'd been mistaken. He'd been almost positive that the girl was up to something… but all she seemed interested in was shopping - and lots of it.

Like a broody hawk, he watched the entrance of the bathroom with a keen eye as a gaggle of half a dozen teenage girls entered a few minutes after Kagome. He waited… and waited… but Kagome must have been pawing over her reflection just as badly as her vain cousin considering how long she'd been in there.

Before long, the teenage girls re-emerged, dragging a heavy cloud of perfume in their wake as they headed off to continue their shopping. Inuyasha felt the beginnings of real concern start to ring in the depths of his mind. Kagome was taking far too long in that bathroom… what if she was in trouble?

That girl attracted trouble like a flame attracted moths, and with this in mind, Inuyasha quickly forgot all discretion and subtlety as he marched over and knocked on the bathroom door. "Kagome?"

There wasn't a peep from inside the bathroom.

"Kagome, are you in there?" He tried to convince himself that his voice hadn't just pitched higher due to panic. "Are you alright?"

Still no response.

Inuyasha hesitated not a second longer before he barged his way through the door into the empty bathroom. It was deserted, and after careful inspection of each stall, Inuyasha realised that he'd been tricked…

That was when he remembered: six girls had entered the bathroom after Kagome.

Seven had left.

A dash of red on the mirror caught Inuyasha's eye, and he looked over at his reflection to read the message painted in lipstick on the glass itself.

"_Leave me alone…__" _Inuyasha blinked for a moment before he blew out a sigh and moved to rest his hands on the sink.

She had outsmarted him. She'd changed her clothes and shoes and maybe even donned a hat while she was in here, and had then probably spun a little lie to those girls to get them to cover her escape. Very clever…

He must have been losing his touch. However, all was not lost yet.

Inuyasha rushed out of the supermarket and all but bolted into the middle of the road in his effort to flag down a speeding taxi. The vehicle screeched to a halt a few inches from his legs, horn blaring angrily at the suicidal act that the hanyou had just performed. "This isn't New York, you idiot!" he heard the man shout. "You can't just hail me!"

Wasting no time, Inuyasha jumped into the back and leant forward to speak to the irate driver. "Higurashi Shrine, please."

"I don't give lifts to youkai," the driver retorted, refusing to move.

"Right…" Inuyasha dug into the pocket of his jacket and extracted the screwdriver he'd been using on his bike earlier. It was a hefty tool and surprisingly sharp, and Inuyasha pushed the tip through the grating behind the driver to press it against the man's neck. "Drive," he ordered coldly.

"R-Right away, s-sir." The taxi rocked forward recklessly as the driver quickly accommodated Inuyasha's request.

Satisfied that he was getting served with the proper degree of respect, Inuyasha sat back with a sigh… and graciously sent a smile and friendly wave to the petrified young woman sitting next to him. "Don't worry, you can have him all to yourself after I'm done."

* * *

It was an odd feeling to step off the bus onto the familiar pavement outside her family's shrine. She stood stupidly for a moment, wondering what to do next as the bus doors slid shut behind her and the vehicle peeled away from the curb - stealing her option of turning back.

She had obviously arrived on one of the shrine's open days as the family that had gotten off the bus ahead of her were starting to climb the shrine steps. Lacking any other initiative, Kagome followed them, trying to figure out what she was supposed to do now.

_Yes,_ she thought with sudden resolution, _I__'m going to find Mama and tell her everything_. The charade had gone on long enough, and the suffering had to stop. Besides, Kagome knew her family better than Inuyasha and she _knew _that she could trust them with her life. He may have been some paranoid street thug with low self-esteem and a lack of self-confidence, but Kagome knew that not everyone in the world was corrupt and evil like Inuyasha would have her believe. Surely if she just stopped to ask for help, she would receive it…

But as Kagome reached the last step and looked out over the painfully familiar grounds of her shrine, something snapped within her and she suddenly couldn't find the air to breathe. She tried to move forward, to reach her house, but her feet wouldn't move. Sweat clammed her palms, and she swallowed hard against the sudden rise of nausea.

_I can__'t do it… I just can__'t…_

But Kagome didn't even know what is was that she couldn't do. Her mind had turned into a roaring white sheet of panic and fear… she couldn't run back, but she couldn't keep going. She didn't think that she could face her family at that moment, but she couldn't bear to be without them for another minute.

It was almost a relief when she felt Inuyasha's hands take her by the arms to pull her forcefully down the steps again. Kagome didn't argue… she couldn't.

"Very clever," he told her quietly as she was steered further away from her life. "You actually shook me off for a while there."

Kagome's legs suddenly folded beneath her, and without warning she sat down with a jarred thump halfway down the shrine steps. Inuyasha paused a moment, trying to coax her to her feet again, but the girl was having none of it and continued to sit stubbornly. He finally seemed to realise that something was terribly wrong with her after she failed to fly into a rage because he'd spoiled her plans.

"What's the matter?" he demanded, watching as the girl bent double till her forehead touched her knees, her chest heaving as she continued to hyperventilate. "Are you sick?"

"N-No," she managed to squeak. "I just saw the sh-shrine… and… and I was overwhelmed by this f-feeling…"

_Ah…_ Inuyasha sighed and patted her back compassionately. "Don't worry, you're probably just having a panic attack, but it'll pass. You probably haven't realised till now how stressed out you've been."

"I've known how s-stressed I was!" she snapped shakily. "That's not the point."

"So much has happened in such a short space of time," he reasoned with her, "so it's natural that throwing yourself back into such familiar territory is going to disorientate you."

"I wouldn't call this disorientation…" Kagome gasped._ More like sheer, blind panic._

"Well, I warned you not to come back here." Inuyasha sat down beside her and carefully eased the shopping bags away from Kagome's grip. "It'll do more harm than good. What if Kikyo's up there now?"

Kagome shook her head wordlessly as tears spiked her eyelashes and rolled silently down her cheeks. She felt foolish for having come home… but disappointed that she'd been stopped. "I just…"

"You just what?" He looked at her sharply.

"I just wanted to feel her arms around me." Kagome's voice had pitched into a wretched whisper as her throat closed up with tears. "I just wanted to see her and know that we're both ok."

She was talking about her mother, Inuyasha realised. He also realised, for the first time, that he wasn't looking at an ungrateful brat who didn't fully appreciate the fact that her life had been spared on a whim… instead, he was looking at a lonely, homesick girl who had lost _everything_.

At that moment, Inuyasha found it all too easy to empathise with her and cursed himself for not noticing it sooner. He'd been there, he'd gone through the very same motions that this girl was going through, and he hadn't even tried to make it easier for her. His only help had been to try and push her away even faster by sending her to France within the same week of her loss.

Kagome was grieving as badly as her family was.

In an awkward and very forced manner, Inuyasha cast an arm behind her back and pulled her close in a sideways embrace with his hand gently cradling her head. Personally, he had always found it to be oddly comforting when Kikyo held him like this… and being unable to see her face often meant that he could close his eyes and imagine that she was comforting him out of kindness.

Kagome sniffed loudly. "Thanks… but you're not my mother," she told him stiffly.

"I'm not trying to be." He scowled off in the direction of the road below them, waiting for Kikyo or one of her goons to walk into sight. "You just looked like you needed a hug, right?"

"Right…"

"Don't worry about it." Inuyasha dropped his hand to squeeze her shoulder. "It gets easier."

At this, Kagome scoffed. "I don't want it to get easier," she grumbled rigidly, "I just want to solve it. If I could just let her know that I'm alright-"

"Do you really need me to tell you _again_ that you'd probably end up dead as a result!" he berated, feeling as if he'd already had this conversation with her… several times, in fact.

However, Kagome's amnesia seemed to have spread. "Inuyasha, I'm sure that if we went to the police-"

"Hah! The police would never help you in a million years!" He laughed, but he did so without amusement. "They're even more corrupt and power-crazed than the Coalescence - and what's worse - they're a bunch of self-righteous twats as well!"

Kagome sat up slightly, her panic slowly being pushed to the back of her mind. "Yes, but in order to overcome Kikyo's influence-"

"No," he said firmly. "The police don't help the people anymore. They're more concerned with disciplining them and fining people to squeeze money out of them. You can't fight Kikyo… Kagome, there's no need for you to throw your life away trying. I didn't save your sorry ass so you could do something so reckless."

"You didn't save me…" she murmured coldly, making him stiffen for a moment as he jumped to the wrong conclusion. "You just saved me from heaven and brought me into hell."

Inuyasha convinced himself to relax. "You'll thank me one day," he said tightly. "Perhaps."

Kagome was quiet, and for a moment Inuyasha thought he'd finally gotten through to her. But he should have known better…

"What would you do if someone stole your bike?" she asked suddenly.

"What's that got to do with… oh, no… no way! That's entirely different!" he exploded.

"I agree!" she exploded right back. "But give me an honest answer."

She was infuriating! Inuyasha sighed and submitted in favour of honesty. "Fine… I'd obviously go hunt the prat down and take back my property - but-"

"Right," she cut him off. "But this isn't a matter of a simple bike, is it? This is my _life _that has been stolen! Everything I own - everyone I love - they're all gone! Even the stupid formula was taken from me - no - it was _because _of that stupid formula that it was all taken from me! I'm not going to let this slide!"

Inuyasha grimaced as he wearily rubbed his face with a free hand. "You want revenge. That's understandable… but you can't expect to have your way this time, Kagome. You're already way in over your head, and revenge is out of the question. You will step down or you will die… it's as simple as that. You have to be the bigger person here. This isn't a childish squabble where you can afford to be stubborn…"

"I don't have anything left to lose," she argued. "What difference would it make if I failed?"

"You would lose your fucking life!"

"There's no need to swear," Kagome scolded. "And I've told you: _that, _I've already lost."

Inuyasha shook his head, bewildered at this girl's eagerness to get herself killed. "You can't expect to win against her…"

"Then _please _help me?" She tried to take his hands between her own, but he pulled them from her reach. "Inuyasha, please!"

The hanyou could only continue shaking his head. He was in the worst possible position to help her. Kagome's plans not only jeopardised his career but his entire life. "I can't," he whispered.

Kagome drew back a little. "That's ok. You've already saved my life… perhaps it's asking too much of you to do this with me."

Inuyasha hated the thought of her struggling alone… but he just _couldn__'t _help her. "What you're planning… in order to confront Kikyo without winding up dead, you'd have to erase her contractors - remove the goons that she's employing to do her dirty work. You're talking about taking down the Coalescence itself." He gave a small laugh of disbelief. "You're asking for a revolution."

Kagome seemed to hesitate for a moment before she found her resolve again. "All or nothing."

"You're crazy!"

"I'm doing this with your help or without it! I'm a girl on the edge, and I've been pushed!" she announced.

Inuyasha bit back the urge to shatter the concrete step beside him in rage, knowing that it would only frighten her. But he swore to god that if she continued to push the matter too far, he would be left with no choice but to kill her in order to protect himself.

And for once… the thought of killing someone for his own benefit left him with a bad taste in his mouth.

Inuyasha sighed…he was getting soft.

Oblivious to Inuyasha's dark train of thought, Kagome continued plotting her family reunion. "The first thing we should do is alert my family that I'm safe and sound," she told him hurriedly. "They're going to be livid anyway when they find out how long I've been holding out on them… so the sooner the better. I can promise you that they won't tell Kikyo or anyone else once they realise the importance of secrecy."

"And how do you plan to get your family alone?" Inuyasha challenged. "From what I hear, Kikyo's been spending an awful lot of time with her grieving family. Any time you go to visit them, _she _might be there as well."

"Oh, yes…" Kagome faltered slightly, unsure how to overcome such an obstacle. "Unless you keep her occupied while I go visit them…?"

Inuyasha shook his head. "She reads me like a book. She'd know something was up the minute I opened my mouth."

Kagome sagged visibly, and Inuyasha felt a pang of guilt. "But… you have a little brother… don't you?"

She looked up at him sharply before nodding. "Yes… why?"

Inuyasha would probably live to regret it… but perhaps there was a way to placate the girl and buy more time for them. He could kill two birds with one stone, and that stone was named…

* * *

"Souta Higurashi! Sit back down this instant!"

Mr Uchida was nearing the very end of his tether. Never before had a child managed to push him to the brink of a nervous breakdown - but this boy had done just that in the space of a week. He could easily understand that the child was going through a difficult time due to the loss of a sister he'd been rather close to, but his behaviour was intolerable.

The class was in the middle of a small riot. Chairs were being thrown, tables had been upturned, it wouldn't have been a surprise if he'd looked up and seen children swinging from the florescent lights. And in the midst of it all was Souta Higurashi, sitting calmly on his desk with his fingers contemplatively pressed together beneath his chin, surveying his work like a proud king. He was, of course, the ring leader in all of this, and if Mr Uchida could just get that snotty little brat to obey, then-

A knock sounded at the door, and someone entered.

The proper procedure for another teacher entering a classroom was for every child to fall silent and stand to attention until the new arrival told them to be seated again. But in the utter mayhem that Souta Higurashi had caused, not even the arrival of a new teacher could break through their raucous behaviour. The laughter and giggling continued, along with the screaming.

"Mr Uchida?"

"May I help you?" the stressed teacher asked piously as he turned his eyes to the new arrival, rather surprised to see a total stranger rather than a fellow teacher. "Who are you?"

The young man smiled back in a placid manner. He was an odd looking boy with a strange shade of amber rimming his pupils and a peculiar hair braid peppered with white and grey like an old man with a youthful face. He may have been wearing the standard uniform of a teacher, but Mr Uchida certainly didn't recognise him from this particular school. A transferred teacher, perhaps?

"I'm one of the new supply teachers - Mr Yano," the young man introduced himself shortly. "The Head would like to speak with you."

Mr Uchida gave a tremulous sigh. "Now?"

"Yes, now." The supply teacher nodded with emphasis.

Heaving a resigned groan, Mr Uchida straightened. "Children, continue working from pages fourteen and fifteen while I'm… children - did you hear me? Oh… never mind…" He gave up and followed the supply teacher out into the corridor, unnoticed by the children.

"So what does the Head want with me now?" O_ther than to tell me to go easier on Higurashi…? _he griped mentally.

"Oh, nothing," the youth replied, stopping suddenly to open a supply cupboard.

Mr Uchida stopped and watched him, perplexed. "What are you doing?"

"I'm just going to be taking over your class for a while." The supply teacher suddenly turned around and did something that seemed to remove the air from Uchida's lungs in a heartbeat. "Nighty-night."

Black overwhelmed his vision, and the teacher was unconscious before he even hit the ground.

* * *

The plan was simple. Souta Higurashi was quite possibly the one member of Kagome's family who left the shrine long enough each day to be contacted safely, and if Kikyo really was having the family watched as he suspected, then Souta was probably the least likely to be under surveillance.

But the plan also had its fair share of drawbacks – the prominent one being the abundance of children.

Inuyasha neither understood nor liked children, and so to suddenly find himself hip deep in them was quite unnerving.

No sooner had he stepped out of the bathroom after mugging one of the supply teachers in a toilet cubicle, than a small, doe-eyed little girl latched onto his leg in an uncanny way that reminded him of Kagome. "Please, sir," she piped in her tiny voice. "I need help tying my shoe laces."

To be honest, Inuyasha often found himself in that same situation… which was why he'd never bought laced shoes after his mother had died. "Then wear Velcro shoes," he advised as he discreetly tried to shake the child off.

"I can't. Mama says Velcro ruins my tights." The little girl pointed to her feet. "Please help."

What was it about sweet-faced girls that made it so hard for him to say 'no'?

With a long-suffering sigh, Inuyasha knelt down and plucked at the girl's shoe laces. He tried to remember the old rhyme that went with lace tying… something about rabbits and ears and holes beneath trees. After several failed attempts to get the rabbit ears in the burrow, Inuyasha gave up, knotted the laces, and tucked the excess into the shoes. "There."

"Thank you, sir!" the little girl exclaimed with nauseating enthusiasm.

"Just piss off already." Inuyasha shooed the child on her way before setting off in search of Souta Higurashi's classroom. Lunch break had only just finished, so he had three hours to find the boy and tell him the delightful news that his sister was alive and well… but the school was big, and he spent a good half hour just walking around looking for Mr Uchida's classroom. Mr Uchida, Kagome had told him, was Souta's class tutor and thus the most likely to be teaching the boy in the afternoon.

But luck eventually prevailed.

"Souta Higurashi!" He heard a strained voice shout from a nearby room. "Sit down this instant!"

It sounded like a war zone, and as Inuyasha warily approached the classroom door to peer through the window, he realised that it _looked _like a war zone as well. Children were running around like untamed packs of wild dogs around the large classroom while a stressed looking old man stood before the blackboard looking lost and confused.

This blew Inuyasha's plans to hell. His initial idea had been to walk into the classroom and ask for Souta Higurashi under the pretence of escorting the boy to the headmaster. But from the looks of things, this teacher couldn't even control the classroom gerbil, let alone fifty children.

It was time to take matters into his own hands.

Inuyasha knocked once and entered, stepping straight into a papier-mâché model of a volcano. He paused for a moment to shake it off before assuming the meek role of a new supply teacher. "Mr Uchida?"

"Yes! What is it!" The stressed teacher turned on him angrily with bizarre white tendrils of hair flying around his face. The man's eyes narrowed on Inuyasha. "Who the hell are you!"

"I'm one of the new supply teachers - Mr Yano." Inuyasha made up the name on the spot while he wondered just how long ago Mr Uchida had had his nervous breakdown. "The Head would like to speak with you."

Mr Uchida gave an aggravated sigh. "What, now!"

"Yes, now."

The old teacher caved in and turned to the children in an effort to gain their attention and set them to work… but they were having none of it. After a moment, Mr Uchida realised this and gave up once again before following the new 'supply teacher' out of the classroom.

Inuyasha led the doddering old man towards the supply cupboard that he'd stumbled across earlier in search of Souta's classroom before rendering him unconscious with a can of self-defence spray - courtesy of the well-prepared teacher he'd mugged half an hour ago. Inuyasha dragged the old man into the cupboard and arranged him in such a way that when he awoke, he would think he'd only fainted while reaching for a box of pencil crayons. He was probably too senile to remember otherwise.

Inuyasha headed back to the chaotic classroom with a mounting sense of dread. So many children… so many _noisy_ children. With the resigned attitude of a man heading for the gallows, Inuyasha trudged through the classroom door and stopped beside the blackboard to survey the hoard of little monsters before him.

A paper aeroplane whizzed past his cheek, leaving a fine paper cut in its wake.

Enough was enough.

Inuyasha took one deep breath before slamming his fist down so hard on the desk before him that the wood splintered. _"SHUT THE FUCK UP!__"_

In the complete and utter silence that followed, fifty pairs of eyes turned on him in sheer astonishment. A lunchbox clattered to the ground, reverberating through the tense room.

_Not so bad, _Inuyasha thought introspectively. These modern teachers just didn't know how to handle kids, that was all. "Now _sit!_"

There was a mad scramble as desks were pulled upright and chairs were retrieved, and within ten seconds the whole class was arranged in neat, orderly rows. All eyes and ears were tuned on Inuyasha… except for one boy.

The boy sat resolutely in the middle of his desk, glaring at Inuyasha as if he'd just ruined a perfectly good game. Instantly, the hanyou recognised him as the young boy from Kagome's funeral. Undoubtedly this was Souta Higurashi…

"Don't want to sit down, Souta?" Inuyasha stalked towards him menacingly as the boy blinked at him in shock.

"H-How did you know my name?" he stammered.

It hadn't been Inuyasha's intention to intimidate the child, but sometimes brats had to be taught their place. "Wouldn't you like to know?" he answered cryptically. "Now, you're coming with me."

"I don't think so." Souta held onto his desk more forcefully. "And you can't make me!"

"Wanna bet?" Since it was obvious that there was no way of negotiating the boy off the table, Inuyasha simply reached out and plucked him up by the back of his school blazer. An outraged gasp went around the room.

"You can't touch me!" Souta yelled as Inuyasha carried him towards the door. "That's against the law!"

"Watch me." Inuyasha swept out of the room with the little boy under his arm, gladly leaving the fifty Howler monkeys behind him.

"Where are you taking me!" Souta screamed, but he was rewarded for his effort with a hand over his mouth. He tried to kick and struggle his way free, but the supply teacher seemed far too strong for a normal adult.

Of course, when Souta recklessly tried to pull the man's hair, something furry and triangular sprung free as a hair pin went flying.

"Argh - you little brat!" Inuyasha tucked Souta more securely under his arm and cradled his throbbing ear. "You'll pay for that!"

"You don't scare me, demon!" Souta shot back.

"I'm not a demon." Inuyasha corrected.

"No - you're a paedophile, aren't you!"

A muscle ticked in Inuyasha's jaw. _Why does everyone keep saying that!_

Quickly clapping a hand over the boy's mouth to silence him again, Inuyasha swiftly made his way through the corridors towards the exit. Once or twice he passed a bewildered looking teacher, but all he needed to say was "Souta Higurashi" and they'd nod understandingly as they let him get on with the kidnapping, evidently assuming that the boy was being taken to class.

Souta finally seemed to reach a state of panic when Inuyasha carried him into the school car park, and at this point, Inuyasha was gracious enough to release his mouth. "Where are you taking me?" he demanded anxiously.

"Somewhere nice," Inuyasha responded breezily, and just to see the boy panic even more, he added, "My flat, actually."

For a moment, it seemed as if the comment had the desired affect… until Souta saw their mode of transport – a rather disgraced looking motorbike with wonky handlebars and some missing bodywork.

Disgust entered Souta's voice. "I'm not going on _that_!"

* * *

Kagome worried her lower lip between her teeth as she anxiously shuffled from one task to the next. She couldn't keep still. She would be halfway through fluffing the cushions on the sofa before she'd drop what she was doing and head over to the sink to finish the washing up that she'd started earlier. Then she'd make another attempt to throw the dead plants from the window box away - before suddenly remembering what lay beneath them, causing her to put them back with a pained wince.

She'd never been so nervous at the prospect of seeing her little brother. For goodness sake, she'd only seen him a couple of days ago, and she had gone without his company for far longer than this before.

But this was different. This was serious… and she kept imagining all sorts of frightening scenarios in which this plan could go wrong. What if Kikyo _was _having Souta watched at school, and she found out what was going on…? What if, when Souta saw her, he didn't accept the truth and refused to recognise her? What if he recognised her but was so angry that he just refused to speak to her, full stop?

Kagome sat down distractedly on the freshly fluffed cushions of the sofa, staring off into space as she massaged her foot inattentively.

So many things could go wrong… and what was she supposed to say to him when they came face to face?

The teenage girl started suddenly as the front door clicked open.

"Kagome?"

* * *

</end chapter> 


	12. Time Gentlemen Please

**Author's Notes: **Purple monkeys have stolen my brain and are holding to ransom. The following chapter is the result of a penniless girl without a brain – please excuse the craptastic-ness of it. (Oh come on, no one ever reads these things!)

* * *

**Zero-G**

**Chapter Eleven**

**Time Gentleman Please**

It was a miracle that Inuyasha hadn't dropped the brat off the motorcycle with the way he was wiggling and straining to get loose. The hanyou kept the boy locked under his arm, ignoring his endless stream of verbal abuse as he dragged Souta up the stairwell of his flat.

"-and then they'll put you on trial - and then they'll execute you - and then you'll go to Hell - but they won't like you there because you're way too evil for even them - and so you'll go to Hell-Hell, you big paedophile!"

Inuyasha groaned. "Will you _please_ stop saying that?"

"I will if you let me go!"

"No deal."

Just as he was reaching out to enter his apartment, the door across the hall creaked open. "What's all this screaming?" croaked the old, batty neighbour who held a cat under her arm in a similar fashion to the way Inuyasha was holding Souta.

"Just bringing my little brother home, Mrs Saito." Inuyasha clapped a hand over Souta's mouth to keep him from screaming for help. "You know how kids these days just _love _school."

"Your brother?" the cat woman echoed. "I thought you said that your brother died in the-"

"Yes, that was the other brother." Inuyasha backed towards his apartment, gazing longing at the door.

"You don't look much alike," she noted.

"Yeah… my mother was a busy woman," he murmured while struggling to find a third hand to open his door. "Uh, Mrs Saito - do I hear Stinky yowling for you?"

"Stinky?" The old woman blinked at him, confused, before pottering back into her flat. "Stinky?"

Breathing a heavy sigh of relief, Inuyasha relaxed his hold on the small boy and opened the door. Souta wasn't even given the chance to throw another expletive at Inuyasha before he was shoved into the flat. Inside, a teenage girl jumped up from the sofa with a gasp.

Souta gaped in shock. "Kagome?"

His sister swallowed hard. "Souta…"

Inuyasha looked at the kitchen worktop. "Orange juice!"

Kagome graced the hanyou with an irritated glare as he abandoned her to face Souta alone. Looking at her brother, she could see the shock imprinted on his face. He looked like he was torn between the urge to scream and the urge to run away as quickly as possible. Did he believe what he was seeing? Maybe he thought he was looking at a ghost, and that was why he seemed so pale? What did she do now?

"Souta…?" She tried to ignore the distracting sounds of Inuyasha helping himself to juice as she held out her arms. She smiled nervously at her little brother. "It's me, Kagome."

Souta shook his head, staring at her with fascination. "Kagome's dead."

"No - no, I'm not!" Kagome patted herself. "See? I'm fine. I'm standing right here."

"I went to her funeral." Souta continued, as if talking to someone else. "I saw her body. My sister is dead."

"Souta!" Kagome laughed in disbelief and began moving towards him, intending to embrace him and show him the truth. But the boy took a hasty step backwards, glaring at her like a stranger. Kagome frowned. "It's ok, Souta. There's been a mix-up… but it's alright. I'm alive and fine. Look at me."

Souta looked, but wasn't sure what he was looking at. She looked like his sister - she even talked like her. But he'd _been _to the funeral, he'd _seen _the body, and everyone had _said _that his sister was dead. He'd even been warned to hold onto that memory of her pushing him through the school gates on Wednesday morning because that was the last memory he'd ever have of her being alive. His sister was an urn of ashes, and that was that.

So who was this girl?

She wore a short, straight-cut dress with white and grey horizontal bands stretching across the material. Kagome had never worn such clothes. This girl smelt of jasmine and soap, but Kagome had never owned perfume like that before. Waves of black curls settled on the girl's shoulders like she'd simply stepped out the shower and let it dry naturally, but Souta was sure that Kagome always used an iron to control her hair.

This couldn't be Kagome.

But it couldn't have been anyone else either…

She moved towards him again, kneeling down in front of him. With mixed feelings, Souta allowed her to draw her arms around him to pull him into a loose embrace, even though he could sense that she was holding back. She touched the back of his head the way Kagome always did when she held him… however, it was the beauty mark beneath her left ear that gave her away. How many times had Souta glimpsed that small brown dot when his sister had pulled him into an embrace? He'd never dwelt on it till now.

It was as if someone had just pulled the bones from his body, and with a flicker of his eyelids, he relaxed into her arms. They tightened around him with the same fierce protectiveness that his sister always offered, and it was strange… because he'd already adjusted to the fact that his sister would never hold him again.

Wobbling a little, Souta pulled out of her arms. "Kagome…?"

She beamed at him with tremulous eyes. "Yes?"

"I'm going to be sick."

* * *

Souta was sick. Several times, in fact. Inuyasha had only just managed to aim the child over the lavatory before he'd started honking up his school dinner. Kagome hovered over her brother the entire time, wondering if revealing herself to Souta in such a fashion had been such a good idea after all. She seemed to have shocked him to the point of physical sickness.

It didn't last long though, and soon he was happily guzzling down orange juice while relating everything that had happened to the family since Kagome's disappearance.

"Then Uncle Shinsui kept offering us money, and I said that we should take it but Mama kept saying no, but he went ahead and bought me a Playstation 4 anyway." Souta paused to take breath. "And Kikyo was _always _around, talking to Mama and that, and she was sleeping in your room so every night she kept telling me off for playing my games too loudly because she wanted to sleep, but I don't know why she was even staying with us because, you know, she already _owns _that hotel, doesn't she?"

"Mm." Kagome wasn't really paying attention to what he was saying. She just basked in his presence and absorbed his familiar voice like a sponge that had been deprived of moisture for too long.

Souta set his empty glass of juice back down on the table. "So why didn't you come and tell us that you were ok?" he demanded, a new tone of reproach entering his voice. "Everyone's been such a pain to live with recently because they're all moping around. And maybe I wouldn't have to put up with Kikyo all the time…"

This was the hard part. Kagome took a deep breath and examined her hands awkwardly as she tried to think of the best way to get the message across to him. "It's complicated, Souta," she began slowly. "You _do _know that someone tried to kill me, right?"

Souta frowned in confusion. "But I thought it was a mistake - that other girl got killed, didn't she?"

Kagome shook her head. "The night that I went missing… someone attacked me and left me to die. By some… freak misunderstanding… that other girl was mistaken for me." She shrugged helplessly. "I don't know who she was, she was just unlucky to die the same night I was attacked, I guess. Inuyasha here was the one who saved my life."

Souta turned a doubtful gaze on the hanyou that was watching television and meticulously trying to avoid getting involved. "Him?" the ten year old muttered in disbelief.

"He found me in the canal and brought me here. He basically nursed me back to health… although 'nursing' doesn't seem very accurate."

"You wound me." Inuyasha drawled from the sofa, admiring a pair of scantily clad actresses on the television screen.

Kagome dismissed him with a flick of her hand. "Anyway… where was I? Oh yeah - Inuyasha was the one who saved me, so you can trust him. He's a good guy."

Souta looked more guilty now. "Right…" He glanced at Inuyasha briefly. "Sorry about that whole… calling you a paedophile thing…"

Inuyasha shrugged. "The damage has been done. He gave a tormented sigh. "Life is so cruel to me."

Souta followed Kagome's example of ignoring the hanyou's dramatics. "But that still doesn't explain why you couldn't come back to us," he pointed out. "In fact - why did you bring me here to tell me all this? Why couldn't you have come back to the shrine."

There was only one way to say it. "Because Kikyo was the one who tried to kill me."

Souta stared at her. Inuyasha's eyes were still on the TV, but Kagome had the feeling that his ears were trained on their conversation entirely. She watched her little brother anxiously, waiting to see his reaction to this news. But Souta had always been on the sceptical side…

"Are you _sure_?" He pursed his lips. "That sounds kinda… well, kinda stupid."

Kagome pressed her fingers hard against the kitchen table as if she could let her tension and nerves soak away into the wood. "It's the truth," she told him shortly. "You know G-Force? Well, it's actually Zero-G. Kikyo ordered people to kill me so that she could take the research and the formula and claim it as her own."

Souta gasped. "Kikyo would never do that!"

Kagome stared at him hard.

"Ok…" He shifted self-consciously. "That _is _the kind of thing that she does a lot… but this is _way _beyond what she's done in the past."

"Yeah, well, all killers and megalomaniacs start small before doing the big stuff." Kagome muttered. "But the point is: I can't go back home because the moment Kikyo realises that I'm alive, she'll quite possibly try and kill me again just to keep me quiet. I may not be so lucky next time."

Souta had gone terribly pale again, and Kagome wondered if he was going to throw up for a fourth time. But the boy managed to steel himself. He gazed at the table with a hard stare, probably trying to sort out all the new information Kagome had given him. "Ok…" he finally breathed. "Ok, so if that's true… then what are we supposed to do about it?"

"Go home and tell Mama." Kagome caught his hand in hers and locked eyes with him. "But you have to make it clear to her that this does not go beyond you, her and Grandpa. Kikyo _can't _find out that I'm still alive because she'll kill me, do you understand?"

Souta still didn't seem convinced. In fact, he was looking at her as if she'd lost her marbles. He spared a quick glance in Inuyasha's direction, only to see the hanyou watching him just as closely as Kagome. With a gulp, he turned back to his sister. "But this seems too weird… what if you've just bumped your head and gone all crazy?"

"I'm not crazy!" Kagome gripped his hands more tightly.

"Yeah - well you sound like you're reciting some stupid plot from a movie!" he shot back, pulling his hands free. "Things like this only happen to movie stars and other people! That's what you told me, remember?" He suddenly began mimicking her voice. "_Things like that only happen to other people, Souta. Trust me!_"

"Well, I was wrong!" she exploded. "It _has _happened to me, and I need your help!"

"How am I supposed to help you!" he shouted.

The lampshade on the ceiling light clattered as someone banged on the floor above them. A muffled voice could be heard yelling, "_Keep the noise down!_".

"You might want to listen to that guy," Inuyasha told them idly, sipping his orange juice. "Rumour has it that he owns a gun."

Instantly, the two siblings hushed their heated debate.

"You have to believe me, Souta." Kagome told him evenly. "Kikyo killed me to steal Grandma's formula. Haven't you noticed that G-Force does all the things that Zero-G is supposed to do? Don't you think it's odd that I was killed by some random mugger a few days before Kikyo announced that she's come up with a miracle anti-wrinkle formula?"

"Well, I knew you were working on Grandma's formula," Souta admitted thoughtfully, "but I don't know about beauty and stuff… it's all the same to me. Kikyo's always coming out with new products for her company."

"Yeah, and I wonder how many of those were ripped off other people as well?" Kagome sighed and stood up to move around the table and fold her arms around her brother, needing to feel his warmth and smell the same old sickly sweet smell of chocolate that he always seemed to carry around. "Tell Mama that I'm alive. Tell Grandpa. And make sure that they know about Kikyo, and make sure that they don't tell anyone else. It could mean all our lives if the truth finds Kikyo. She's already tried to kill me, so I doubt a few more family murders would smear her conscience."

Souta looked pained. "I think you need a doctor, Kagome…"

She let loose a frustrated gasp. "I'm _fine_."

"I can see the bruise on your scalp from here," he said, staring at her hairline.

Kagome raised a hand to her head awkwardly. She could still feel the lump from where she'd been hit by that rock.

_Rock?_ The teenager blinked for a moment as she tried to understand how she knew it was a rock that had brained her. She wasn't at all sure just how she remembered. She only had the strong sense of a rock coming down upon her head from the front - as if she'd been facing her attacker. Kagome tried to recall more detail, but her mind drew a blank.

Shaking her head, Kagome smiled weakly at her brother. "Don't worry about it. I'm fine."

"Are you sure?" he pressed. "I watched this program on TV the other night about this woman who had been hit over the head with a steel pipe, and she seemed fine, and she was walking around all day like normal until suddenly she keeled over and died because there was blood in her brain, and it had only been a matter of time before it killed her because-"

"Alright, I get the picture!" Great… now she'd be waiting for an aneurysm to hit her for the rest of her life. "I'm perfectly fine. Inuyasha took good care of me and-"

"And why are your legs burnt?" Souta pointed out.

Kagome looked down at her calves. "Oh… a bomb went off with me standing next to it," she shrugged.

Suddenly, Souta gasped. "Wait - you're the Kangaroo Lady!" Then just as quickly, he was outraged. "You came to your own funeral pretending to be an Australian!"

"I went to see you guys and to spy on Kikyo!" Kagome shot back before giving him a sound clip around the ear.

"Ow!"

"And that's for being rude to an Australian," she admonished. "Anyway, I'm glad I went because I found out lots of interesting things about Kikyo - like the fact that she's threatening people over the phone."

Souta rubbed his ear. "Are you sure?"

"_Yes_!" Kagome wanted to wrap her fingers around his scrawny neck and wring common sense into him. In retrospect, she wondered if this was how Inuyasha felt when he'd been trying to convince _her _of the truth as well. "Kikyo is out to get me, and the only reason I'm talking to you is because I don't want to see my family suffer needlessly."

Souta looked down, humbled a little.

"Do you understand?" she demanded sharply. "You can't tell anyone else about this."

"I-I…" he stammered a little before clearing his throat. "I understand. I won't tell anyone expect for Mama and Grandpa."

"Good." Kagome glanced at her watch. "You have to go back to school now so that no one knows you've been here. If Kikyo found out-"

"She'd kill everyone. Got it." Souta said drolly, as if he'd been told this a hundred times.

"Right." She helped him down from the chair as Inuyasha dragged himself reluctantly off the sofa, jangling his bike's keys in his hand.

"Wait." Souta stopped short. "And then what? What happens after I tell them? You'll come back to us, right?"

Kagome frowned slightly and gave her brother a helpless shrug. "I don't think I can… not now anyway. We have to sort out the matter with Kikyo first."

Souta seemed unsure. "But…"

"I _will _come home again, Souta." Kagome squeezed his shoulder with a smile. "But until I do, you guys have to keep looking like you're grieving."

Souta sighed loudly, expressing his annoyance. "Fine. But don't be too long."

"Time's up, brat." Inuyasha broke between them and grabbed Souta by the scruff of his clothes to steer him towards the door. "Kagome, I'm going to work after I drop your brother off, so feel free to go out - but just remember what I said-"

"No going where anyone will recognise me." She caught Souta's eye and raised her fingers to her head as if aiming a gun at her temple with the 'kill me now' joke that they often shared whenever their mother lectured one of them. Souta giggled, but Inuyasha didn't see Kagome's gesture and proceeded to drag him out of the flat.

After a moment, the front door had shut again and Kagome was alone. She pressed her fingers against her mouth and collapsed on the sofa with a shuddering breath, feeling drained and empty now that her brother had gone. To fill the void, she turned on the television. The only mildly interesting program on the air was a news bulletin, but at least it kept Kagome from feeling _totally _alone.

While the droning voice of the newsreader filled the apartment, the teenager attempted to busy herself in order to take her mind off her family. She wasn't totally successful, but at least it spurred her to finally clean out Inuyasha's fridge.

As suspected, there _was _indeed some form of fungal civilisation growing in the depths of the bafflingly warm refrigerator. Half of the food was contaminated with mould while the rest was withered and slightly soggy. Kagome threw everything away - save for the milk she'd bought that morning - and set to work scrubbing the glass shelves.

Meanwhile, the television continued to twitter behind her. "_Twelve people were killed in the terrorist attack on a police station_…"

Kagome sneezed as she inhaled some of the fungal spores she was trying to clean out.

"_Sango Hara remains missing. Her father, chief of police, is asking for anyone with any information to come forward. No group has admitted to the kidnapping, but Coalescence involvement is suspected._"

A sigh escaped Kagome's lips. There was never any such thing as 'good news' anymore.

"_The two owners of the Mori Morita chain of restaurants were murdered earlier this morning. Both men had apparently borrowed money from the Coalescence three months ago. Police suspect that the terrorist group had a hand in their deaths._"

Was this what her death had been? Just another name on the list of people dead by Coalescence hands?

"_Police Superintendent Daisuke Hoshi, father of the recently deceased Miroku Hoshi and close personal friend of the chief of police, was found murdered in his home late last night_."

Kagome's attention clapped onto the television, her hands freezing in their work.

"_Daisuke Hoshi was heading the investigation into the Coalescence, but late last night he was found dead by his wife. Hoshi died from multiple stab wounds to the throat and torso, but the perpetrator is still at large. Police suspect Coalescence involvement._"

The glass shelf from the fridge that Kagome had been scrubbing was dropped promptly into the sink with a clatter. Without thinking, she shoved open the window with slimy hands and threw the shrivelled flowers and their pots out of the window box in her effort to find what lay beneath them.

She snapped the black book open to the last page and stared blankly at the list of names.

Someone had crossed out Daisuke Hoshi.

It was only when Kagome's chest began to ache that she realised she'd been holding her breath. A million thoughts, ideas, and feelings seemed to rush through her head, crowding the clarity of her realisation. She was in a daze as she flicked more slowly through the rest of the book, smudging each page with her wet fingers.

There. Her name. Her address. Her _salon_.

They were in this book of murdered people.

Kagome set the book down with trembling fingers, staring like it was a sensitive bomb waiting to go off. She tried to find another explanation for why her name was in that book… and why a hundred other dead people's names with in it as well. Not to mention how the latest one seemed to have been 'predicted'.

Swallowing hard, the girl knew that she couldn't avoid it any longer. The book said it all for her.

What had she gotten herself into?

* * *

Naraku was, more often than not, a very calm and collected individual who only ever got passionate about the quality of the canteen dinners and sea monkeys. It was rare that he ever became visibly zealous over his work. Today was one of those rare occasions.

"_YOU LET HER GET AWAY!"_

And it was also one of those rare occasions where Inuyasha wouldn't have minded an umbrella. Judging from the expressions of the faces of his fellow agents who were lined up before their boss, suffering from the same rain of spittle, they felt the same.

"This is a disaster!" Naraku continued to rage. "Sango Hara has escaped and now knows the location of our headquarters! It could only be a matter of time before she rejoins her father and gives us away!"

The group of gathered agents hung their heads with a suitable amount of guilt. These were the agents who had been involved with Sango Hara's abduction and/or torture. But only one of them was guilty of having lost her…

"And who was the bright-spark!" Naraku demanded. "Who was in charge of the girl when she escaped down the drainpipe!"

All fingers simultaneously jabbed at Inuyasha, who in turn pointed a finger at Kouga. The wolf spluttered with indignation, but Naraku wasn't fooled and turned narrowed eyes on the hanyou. "I thought I could trust you, Inuyasha. You're always so careful."

"Don't blame me." Inuyasha shrugged and folded his arms haughtily. "I was doing quite well with her until _those _two lunkheads let her escape." He jerked his chin towards Hiten and Manten who were sweating nervously halfway down the line.

Naraku slowly stalked towards the two brothers. "Is that so?"

"H-He told us not to check on her." Hiten stammered.

"Y-Yeah." Manten agreed.

Their fear was as good as guilt, and within moments their testimony had sealed their fate. "You're all dismissed," Naraku barked. "Except for you two."

A mental cackle accompanied Inuyasha as he filed out of the boss' office with the rest of the agents, leaving Hiten and Manten to whatever fate Naraku had decided for them. Whatever it was, it was probably the last they'd ever see of the 'Thunder' brothers.

Someone barged past Inuyasha, throwing their weight against his shoulder. "Well done, hanyou."

"No problem, wolf." Inuyasha shot back, narrowing his eyes as Kouga suddenly moved to intercept him. The other agents dispersed ahead of them, but Inuyasha's path was blocked by the wolf. "What now?" he demanded.

Kouga smirked with a slow inclination of his head. "You've got a commissioner."

Inwardly, Inuyasha groaned. _Great… more work._ "Why me?" he said sullenly.

"Who knows?" Kouga shrugged with an uncaring sniff. "I can't understand it myself, but you are getting a lot of commissions these days. Anyone would think you're getting famous… in certain circles. But hey, you're not alone. He's contracted me, too."

The hanyou grunted. "So where's the specs?"

"At the front desk with the kitsune woman." Kouga began skulking away. "Some bozo seems to have made a few enemies and wants to pay us to get rid of them for him. I get the loan shark, you get the gambling king."

Kouga disappeared out of sight down another corridor, but Inuyasha stayed where he was, digging his fists deeper into his jacket pockets. Another contract, another death. _I'd rather go home, _the hanyou thought glumly.

But then again, he was running a little short on cash recently.

* * *

Her first instinct had been to return to her father, but Sango knew she wasn't to take her captor's words lightly. If she returned to her job and her family, the Coalescence would hunt her down and eliminate her more efficiently next time. Everyone knew that the Coalescence had way too many spies within the police force, and it would only be a matter of time before news of her return found its way back to her kidnappers.

But where else was there to go?

The streets didn't take kindly to weak, homeless individuals - even more so for weak, homeless individuals with police badges and ribbons across their sleeves. Sango was forced to tear these off and dump them in an alley before another pug-ugly street felon decided he didn't like a cop wandering around his territory. Sango had already fought off three such angry brutes in the past day, each of them underestimating how much strength she had left.

By noon on the first day of her freedom, the young police officer was wondering why she had even bothered escaping in the first place. She had nowhere to go, no one to contact, and no way to get money. The logical solution would be to leave – to hitchhike out of Tokyo and settle somewhere quiet and out of the way to preserve her identity. However, everything within her was longing to return to her family and return to her post as a law enforcement officer. She was a sergeant, for crying out loud. Sergeants didn't abandon their posts at the first hint of danger.

But what did that matter now? Her hard-earned badges were now gone, and all she had was herself and the clothes on her back. She knew firsthand that she would be better off alone than with a whole district of police officers to protect her. The police were useless.

It was hard to sit down with stiff, cramped legs, and Sango made a valiant effort to contain her pain as she slid down the wall at the end of a godforsaken little alley. She was hidden behind a rather foul smelling dumpster and a tall chain link fence topped with barbed wire. No one would find her there unless they knew exactly where she was…

For the first time in three days, Sango allowed herself to close her eyes and drift off.

The clatter of a bottle on the pavement made her start awake. She looked up quickly and flinched upon seeing the looming blur of a figure beside her. She nearly panicked until her eyes adjusted to the bad lighting and she saw the blur was simply an old, homeless woman dressed in several tattered rags and scarves. Sango relaxed. The woman was on the other side of the fence, unable to reach her, even if she was staring at Sango with a bizarre amount of curiosity.

"Stop staring at me," she bit out half-heartedly, turning away to try and find peace enough to sleep again.

"Y-You're that police lass, a-aren't you?" the woman stuttered, and Sango realised that it was out of poor education rather than fear. "Someone's l-look-looking for you."

Sango turned sharply to face the beggar woman again. "Who?" she demanded. "Who's looking for me?"

"D-Demon lad…" the woman responded jerkily. "Strange eyes and a n-na… bad smile."

_The Coalescence_,Sango realised. _They know I'm gone and they're looking for me…_

"Thank you." She nodded appreciatively to the woman. "If he speaks to you again, please don't tell him that you saw me."

"C-Course…" The woman nodded several times before turning away, still nodding, to continue scavenging scraps of clothing and pipes from the skip on the other side of the fence.

Sango watched her for a moment, before realising that she probably couldn't trust the old woman to remember the promise. She would have to keep moving… preferably under the cover of night to avoid being seen and recognised.

But… she was just so tired. One more short nap couldn't hurt, could it?

The moment the back of her head touched the wall, she was asleep. A light nap turned into a deep slumber. Nightmares plagued her, but it was worth it just to regain the energy that she'd steadily been losing since she'd been kidnapped. It must have been several hours before she awoke, because by the time she opened her eyes and looked up at the rectangle of sky that topped the alley, it was evening. Pink clashed with the darkness, telling her that tomorrow would be a better day with bluer skies.

She nearly believed it until someone stepped into her light.

"Sango Hara." A disarming smile shone down on her, too charming and feral to be human. "I believe we lost you for a while there."

Sango closed her eyes with a sigh, neither having the energy nor will to fight back. "I knew it was too good to be true."

* * *

Being a contractor was nothing more than a pain in the arse sometimes. Why was it that when someone commissioned an assassination, it was always at the most inappropriate time? Why was it that the commissioners always picked the worst targets - the targets more likely to put up a fight or leave a messy trail for the police to follow back to the commissioner and ultimately the contractor?

_I need to stop using that word,_ Inuyasha thought as he finished polishing another beer glass and set it down beneath the bar's counter. _I'm not a contractor… I'm an assassin. No fancy language can change that._

"Hey! Barmaid!" A rather drunk patron waved a wad of cash at the end of the bar. Inuyasha glared at him narrowly for the 'maid' comment. "Give me another round of tequila shots for me and my buddies here!"

"Certainly, sir." Inuyasha moved forward to take the money and tucked it into his pocket. If anyone noticed that he should have put it away in the till, they said nothing. Unceremoniously, and without really knowing what he was doing, Inuyasha grabbed four likely looking glasses and slammed them on the counter along with a bottle of tequila.

"Hey - this ain't tequila! This is whisky!" the patron protested.

"Same thing," Inuyasha shrugged. "We're out of tequila."

"There's a bottle right there - I'm looking at it!" The patron and his three friends eagerly pointed out the bottle that was beyond their reach behind Inuyasha.

With a pained sigh, Inuyasha handed them the spirit before mooching off to serve other customers.

And why was it that this commissioner insisted that the murder take place in one of the district's busiest bar? Pub crawlers had been crawling in off the street for drinks for the last half hour without rest. Occasionally, some of the more regular customers posed a good question. "Where's the normal barkeep?"

To this, Inuyasha would just shrug and respond, "On holiday." While in actual fact, the Governor was tied up and gagged down in the basement. "I'm looking after the bar while he's gone." Then Inuyasha would proceed to mess up their orders magnificently.

But other than his slightly amateur approach to serving drinks and his less than enthusiastic manners, Inuyasha was doing a fine job of blending in. With his hair stained black using 'wash-in-wash-out' hair dye for the grey and balding, a knitted black skull cap for the ears and a pair of light shades to hide the exact tone of his eyes, Inuyasha was almost indiscernible from normal humans. He only had to remember not to smile too much in case someone spotted the fangs (not a dire problem) and to keep his hands out of sight. Already he'd caught a few people giving his claws odd stares, but they seemed to have put it down to wearing beer goggles more than anything else.

Eight o'clock had the alarm on his wristwatch beeping insistently, and no sooner had the noise stopped than the door to the bar opened and three smartly dressed men entered.

Inuyasha contained his smirk. _Bang on time_.

Their descriptions matched the ones given in his instructions. Three business men with matching green ties were easy to tell apart from the other slobs who were lolling around the various tables and chairs. Inuyasha gave them no more interest than a passing glance as he continued to polish the counter.

"Barkeep," the leader of the three men sat down at the bar first, hailing him with a raised hand. "I'd like an Archers. Peach flavoured. The others will have Gin and Tonics."

_A business man with a green tie and a lady's taste in drinks, _Inuyasha noted as he took the offered money and slipped it into his pocket. _This is the guy…_"Hold on. I'll have to get some from the basement."

Inuyasha plodded away down the bar, past the four patrons who were now on their sixth verse of "One tequila, two tequila, three tequila, floor!" and down the steps leading to the basement below.

"Having fun?" he asked the real barkeep. The man simply screamed back behind his gag, tears streaking his face and red welts marring his wrists from the too-tight bonds. "Good." Inuyasha smiled emptily as he proceeded to pick up the packet of white powder that he'd left on a crate earlier that evening. A six-pack of Archers lay on the floor nearby, and Inuyasha only had to choose a bottle, crack open the cap and pour the powder into the fruity drink.

The poison would kill a human within five minutes of consumption and only a vague sense of nausea would warn the victim of his impending death. An autopsy would easily reveal the cause of death… but if the police ever bothered with that, Inuyasha would be long gone with a loaf of money for his trouble.

Raising the poisoned bottle in a mock toast to the bound barkeeper, Inuyasha grinned. "Cheers!" He then pounded back up the steps to carry out the final stage of his mission.

The businessmen looked a little impatient at having to be kept waiting an extra thirty seconds for their drink. Inuyasha schooled his expression as he handed the drinks over to the men, placing the bottle of Archers on the counter for the leader to help himself to. From the moment the victim took his first sip, Inuyasha began timing.

Unfortunately, he had to stick around until he was sure that the man had died rather than just passing out - as was the case in some missions.

With four minutes left till the businessman hit the floor, Inuyasha was busying himself by transferring the rest of the money from the till into his pockets while the bar continued to hum with idle conversation and the occasional outburst of laughter.

With three minutes to go, the businessman was beginning to stroke his stomach as if he was getting a cramp. Inuyasha was too busy arguing with the tequila patrons to notice. "Not in _my _bar there's no Happy Hour!"

Two minutes till ETD, and the businessman had gotten over his cramps and was readily discussing a business trip to Las Vegas. Inuyasha kept a discreet eye on him as he was paid to hand over another bottle of tequila to the patrons.

When there was only one minute left till the man was supposed to drop dead… he dropped dead. Inuyasha glanced at his watch in surprise as the victim simply toppled off his stool and hit the floor with a muffled thud. He must have had a fast metabolism.

Gasps and cries of surprise and horror went around the crowded bar and soon everyone was out of their seat to gather around the fallen man. Inuyasha did his duty as a member of staff to take control of the matter. "Back off - give him some air!" Inuyasha shoved the spectators aside to crouch down beside his victim. He pressed two fingers against his throat and pretended to observe a nonexistent pulse. "He has a pulse, but it's weak," he told the hushed crowd. "I think he had a heart attack."

"Someone better call an ambulance," a voice called from the mob.

"I'll do it." Inuyasha volunteered instantly. "In the meantime, don't move him."

He wasn't a doctor or any kind of professional, but people still obeyed him without question. It was amazing what he could make people do simply from the tone of his voice alone.

Slipping away through the crowd, Inuyasha pulled his phone from his pocket and began dialling the customary emergency number. As he waited for someone to pick up on the other end, Inuyasha quickly went through the rest of his plan.

He would simply explain to the ambulance that someone had collapsed from a heart attack at Hideki's Bar, and while everyone was distracted he would make his getaway. It was a flawless plan. By the time anyone realised that it had been a murder and that the real barkeeper was tied up in the basement, Inuyasha would be curled up at home in front of the TV, watching the news report on his mission. Just one more tally mark on the chart outside Naraku's office, and just another meaningless smudge on Inuyasha's conscience. But of course, Inuyasha had come too far to start feeling guilty now. He felt nothing but a satisfied sense of achievement as he pushed his way out of the crowd towards the exit.

But then something happened that blew all his plans to hell in one swift blast.

Kagome was standing in the doorway.

* * *

**Fackyews (back due to popular demand)**

**What happened to the fackyews?**

You're the kind of person who doesn't real the top A/N, aren't you?

Well that seems to be it for today…


	13. The April Shower

**Author's Notes**: Did you know that I've practically been dead this past week? I am amazed that I even managed to finish this chapter…

* * *

**Zero-G**

**Chapter Twelve**

**The April Shower**

Kagome wouldn't have recognised him if Inuyasha hadn't stopped dead upon seeing her. He had no idea where she'd come from or _why _she'd come, but the moment he saw her set expression and the little black book clenched between her fingers, he knew he was in trouble. While the pub crawlers continued to jostle behind him and his phone remained ringing out, Kagome simply stared at him.

"Emergency services, what do you need?" a nasal woman asked through his phone, startling Inuyasha. "Ambulance, Police or Fire Department?"

"Uh… an ambulance." Inuyasha said slowly, watching Kagome's eyes narrow. "At Hideki's bar, twelfth district. Someone's had a… uh… heart attack or something."

He snapped the phone shut and pocketed it. His getaway plan had been pushed to the back of his mind, and all he could do was try to predict the words that were about to come out of Kagome's mouth.

She didn't fail to surprise him. "I saw your bike outside," she told him, flicking her head back abruptly to move the hair covering her eyes. "So I thought I'd find you in here."

"Ah…" Inuyasha responded intelligently, very aware of how he must have appeared to her. Surely it wouldn't strike her as normal behaviour to be wearing such an obvious disguise? By the way she was looking him up and down, Kagome seemed very perplexed about his appearance.

"What are you doing in here?" she asked bluntly.

"I could say the same for you." He evaded the question.

"I told you, I saw your bike and came to see what you were doing in here." Her posture breathed hostility towards him, which was not in the least bit surprising. Inuyasha swallowed hard as she moved her gaze beyond him. "What's happened?" she asked.

"Nothing…" If Inuyasha had believed in a god, he would have been praying right at that moment for the ground to open up and swallow him whole, or perhaps just swallow Kagome. Either scenario would do nicely. "You shouldn't be out this late at night," he cautioned, trying to press forward and force her back out the door with him. "This is a bad neighbourhood."

"You _live _in a bad neighbourhood." Kagome attempted to step around him. "Why's that man lying on the floor?"

"Drunk." He shrugged vaguely.

Unfortunately, by then someone had gathered either the courage or brains to check out the fallen businessman a little more closely. "Oh my god - he's dead!"

"They're drunk, too," Inuyasha told her hastily, taking her arm and steering her back out of the bar before she saw anything else. But the moment he forced her out of the door and onto the street, Kagome's arm wrenched out of his grip with, in Inuyasha's opinion, a reaction far too disproportionate to the offence. Of course, he knew exactly why she was being so sensitive, but that didn't keep him from playing innocent. "What's the matter?"

"I'll tell you what's the matter," she hissed, slapping the black book against his chest. "_That _is the matter!"

Inuyasha thumbed through the slim address book with a careful expression. He pursed his lips as if in curiosity. "Ah - where did you find this?" he asked with a wry grin. "I was looking everywhere for it!"

"I found it in your window box," Kagome ground out, watching him with a tight expression. Inuyasha glanced up at her briefly, contriving to appear perplexed whilst knowing that he was in a lot of trouble - evidently Kagome's snooping had unearthed his careful hiding place. After she'd broken the kitchen window, he hadn't thought that she'd bother prying away the nails just to do a little flower arranging. He'd hidden the book there to stop her from coming across it on one of her cleaning sprees.

Apparently, he needed to stop underestimating the cleanliness of this girl.

"Must have dropped it when I was trying to fix the window you broke." Inuyasha continued leafing through the pages, wondering how many pieces of the puzzle Kagome had managed to solve. This was a problem. If Kagome had figured out what was going on…

"Like you ever bothered with that!" Kagome snapped.

_What a shame…_Inuyasha closed his eyes briefly before looking up and past Kagome. With an sharp intake of breath, he suddenly took her arm and began dragging her away. "Come on! Quick!" he whispered curtly.

"What?" Kagome tried looking over her shoulder to see what he was looking at. "What's going on?"

"Shh!" Inuyasha pulled her down the alley beside the bar, out of the glaring streetlight and into the shadows. He pretended to peep around the corner at the imaginary enemy. "I know those guys… they're bad news."

"Who?" Kagome tried to peer around after him, but Inuyasha quickly drew her further into the alley… away from prying eyes.

"Don't worry," he told her quietly. "If we wait here for a few minutes, they'll just leave."

Kagome looked bemused, but Inuyasha had no choice. Kagome's protection had been his most important endeavour recently. He hadn't been able to decide if it was simply a strange new hobby he'd acquired the taste for, or just because he felt sorry for the poor young girl who shared a common enemy with him. But no matter where Kagome's safety came in his list of priorities, _Inuyasha's _safety came first. If this girl began posing a serious risk to his life and career… well, he wasn't going to wait around and see if those risks took flight.

Depending on what she said next, he would decide whether or not to kill her in that alley.

"So…" he began nonchalantly. "What were you saying?"

Kagome sighed loudly and gestured to the book. "I want an explanation. Now."

"About what?" He shrugged. "I don't follow you."

"Why is there a list of dead people in the back?" Her stare was uncomfortably penetrating. "Why was Daisuke Hoshi's name written there before he died, and then crossed out _after _he died?"

"You mean this list?" Inuyasha flipped to the last page and looked at the two lists of names that were untidily scrawled across the paper. "Well, this is from that crossword I did a few days ago."

Kagome blinked. "Excuse me?"

"Sure." Inuyasha smirked at her. "'The name of the most infamous person killed by the Coalescence to date' They were my notes… I couldn't figure out who it was."

The teenage girl shifted awkwardly. "I don't believe that. All those names are different lengths for a start."

"I never said I was good at crosswords, Kagome," he replied, acting stung.

"But then why did you write down Daisuke Hoshi's name when he wasn't even dead yet?" she demanded.

Inuyasha shrugged, his mind moving in a blur to fabricate the perfect lie that slotted in with the tale so far. "I couldn't figure out which Hoshi was the porn star. Daisuke or Miroku? So I wrote both down. I crossed out Miroku's name when I figured out it was him…" He shrugged again. "That was all."

Kagome still didn't seem convinced. "Then why did you cross Daisuke's name out later?"

"Irony, I guess." Inuyasha smiled slightly. "It's not often that I foretell a death like that…"

A pregnant pause extended between them. Kagome watched Inuyasha, trying to figure out if it really was as simple as he'd made it out to be, while Inuyasha assessed Kagome, trying to decide if she believed his lie or not.

"Then please explain to me," said Kagome evenly, "why my name and address is written under H."

Inuyasha cocked his head, devising a new fib in an instant. "Because when I found you, I wasn't sure who you were or why you'd been attacked. I knew you were probably related to Kikyo, so I did a little searching and found out where you came from, who your family was, and why you'd nearly been murdered. After I gathered all that information, I decided not to turn you in at the risk of having you murdered twice."

"Uh huh…" Kagome looked away.

The hanyou scoffed at her. "What did you think this was about?" he asked her, amused. "Did you think I was foretelling people's deaths and trying to prevent them? Albeit… failing ninety-nine percent of the time…"

"Actually, no." Kagome shuffled her feet a little. "I thought… perhaps… you were with the Coalescence."

"I see." He tried to act surprised and slightly hurt… but in truth, her confession had confirmed his suspicions.

She _had _figured it out. This guess of hers had been spot on…

Kagome was a danger to him.

Giving a mock sigh, Inuyasha stepped forward and brought the stiff girl into a gentle embrace. "Kagome, Kagome, Kagome…" he breathed into her hair and inhaled the lingering hint of jasmine shampoo. "Do I look like a killer?" Even as he said it, he was moving his right hand into position at the back of her head. One twist, and he could shatter her spine.

But then Kagome did something that took him by surprise. She relaxed and circled her arms around his torso with a relieved sigh. "No." she told him, laughing slightly. "Sorry… I probably sound so stupid."

Inuyasha squinted at the wall behind her. His face was a taught mask of wariness even while his voice continued the façade of an understanding guardian. "Not at all. You have every right to be paranoid considering the circumstances."

"I know… I just kinda freaked out when I saw my name there." She buried her hot face against his shoulder. "Oh god, I'm so embarrassed. I hope you're not offended…?"

"Don't worry about it." His hand seemed reluctant to do much more than rest against her nape. "It's ok."

He tried to pull himself together, telling himself that he _needed_ to kill her in order to save himself. She would be the death of him otherwise. But the useful thoughts such as '_kill her now and bury the body in the park_' were being replaced with more stupid ones like '_her hair is so soft_'. How was it possible to make hair feel so silky and smooth to the touch? What did she do that made it shine in the dim moonlight? And why did it feel so right to hold her smaller, softer body against his own?

Why did protecting her seem so appealing?

The girl suddenly pulled out of his arms to look up at him, and Inuyasha lost his chance to secure his safety. "That was totally out of order," she said firmly. "I shouldn't have made that kind of accusation. I mean - you _saved _my life! Why would you do that if you were Coalescence?"

Inuyasha quirked a smile and shoved his hands into his pockets, feeling very disorientated all of a sudden. He wasn't quite sure what to say now that Kagome had regained her trust so quickly… too quickly for Inuyasha to find comfortable. He'd never met anyone quite so eager to see the good side in a person.

_It's infectious_, Inuyasha smiled to himself as the girl babbled on to give herself more grief over 'unfounded' suspicions. _I don't know how she does it, but she always manages to make me see the better possibilities too…_

Kagome had escaped with her life yet again. She may not have been aware of how close she came to losing it, but Inuyasha just didn't have the heart to betray such a trusting girl.

* * *

Staring up at the ceiling of Inuyasha's bedroom that night, Kagome wondered how her little brother was doing. She knew it wouldn't be easy to convince her mother that she was alive without any solid proof, but Kagome knew how close their family was, and surely Mrs Higurashi would listen to Souta. 

Hopefully, he would manage to convince their mother to keep it a secret from Kikyo… at least until the time was right.

Heaving a weary sigh, the girl rolled onto her side and pulled the threadbare blanket more tightly around her shoulders. She had no pyjamas so she had to sleep in her vest and underwear. Fortunately, Inuyasha had been sleeping on the sofa downstairs since she'd arrived and therefore wasn't benefiting from her lack of decency.

Not for the first time that night, Kagome wondered why Inuyasha had been dressed up in such an unusual style when she'd found him at the bar. On the way home she had asked him, but the only answer she got was that certain employers preferred their staff to be as human as possible.

"So you work in a bar?" she'd asked, a little puzzled. He'd already told her that he was a courier of sorts.

He had given her an elusive wink. "Yes and no. I'm a jack of all trades."

Kagome hadn't been impressed by that answer. "A rolling stone gathers no moss, Inuyasha."

"A setting hen never lays eggs, Kagome."

Proverbs. They always contradicted each other so it was hardly worth living life according to their advice. If many hands made light work, then why did too many cooks spoil the broth? And if great minds thought alike, then why did fools seldom differ?

She remembered the proverb that her father had often spouted over the dinner table. _To thine own self be true. _It was odd that she couldn't recall his face or really remember what family life was like before he had died, but she remembered his words. Probably because they were so ironic.

He'd lived his entire life to the code of 'Be true to yourself'. Yet when he'd died, it had been in a protest. Hundreds of people had marched alongside him through the streets, demanding more rights for the underpaid and unappreciated under classes who worked the menial jobs that kept Japan running. Then one of the nearby chemical factories caught alight, creating an explosion that had killed a minority of protestors and poisoned the rest with toxic fumes.

After which, another proverb had stuck in Kagome's head ever since his death. _The nail that stands out gets hammered down._

Bad things happened to those who tried to be different - those who tried to _make _a difference. So Kagome had always turned the other cheek when she was bullied in school. She'd always closed her eyes and refused to take notice of the terrorist attacks that were getting more frequent and more deadly with every passing year. _Keep your head down_. That was the key to survival.

But even that code had failed, hadn't it? Here she was, as good as dead, and she'd never even _tried _to stand out.

What upset Kagome the most was that she couldn't think of a single thing that she'd done or said that would make her worth remembering.

_Which is why I have to get back my life_, she thought determinedly as sleep began to cloud her mind. _I have a second chance to make someone proud of me…_

However, her dreams did not help Kagome to escape from troubled thoughts.

She was walking along the pavement towards the salon where she worked. It was dark, but without even looking down at herself, she knew that she was wearing her familiar school uniform. The ambient streetlights emitted a strangely pink glow that lit up the pavement ahead of her, but no matter how steady her footsteps were, the Salon doorway never seemed to get any closer.

This was quite an unfortunate turn of events, because Kagome knew she was being followed by a killer. She looked over her shoulder, but he always seemed to be in the shadows between the red streetlights.

Kagome broke out into a run, and judging from the footfalls of the killer, so did he. The salon stopped fooling with her at last, and soon the door was within reach. She barged through without a second thought and slid the top and bottom bolts into place to keep the killer from reaching her, but when she looked through the window, there was no one to be seen.

Not even the slightest bit perplexed, Kagome turned and faced the interior of the salon which had now transformed into a street. It was an odd street with pavements covered in grey snow and black soot. Looking up at the sky, Kagome knew that it was the middle of the day, but such a thick blanket of clouds blotted out the sun that very little light reached her.

Idly, Kagome reached up with clumsy, childish hands to where her gasmask dangled around her throat and pulled it over her face. But the moment the plastic lenses covered her eyes, the street had changed. It was as if the mask had suddenly enabled her to see the countless corpses that littered the road and pavements. Some were horribly scarred with blistered burns while others seemed to have turned sickly shades of white and blue with strange, infected looking sores broken out across their skin.

Kagome screamed. She may have had the body of a five year old, but her voice echoed out with the force of a young woman.

Someone tore her mask off and pulled her up by the shoulders. "Kagome - snap out of it!"

It was Inuyasha.

The body laden street melted away, replaced by the more comfortably familiar bedroom of Inuyasha's flat. The only thing that didn't change was Inuyasha. He was still there, holding her upright with his hands grasping her shoulders, a concerned look spread across his face. "I think you were having a bad dream."

Kagome relaxed and pressed the back of her hand to her sweaty forehead. "Not that bad… I've had it before."

Inuyasha released her shoulders slowly, but didn't dare take his eyes off her. "What was it about?"

"Something I thought I'd forgotten about…" she smiled caustically. Seeing his troubled expression, she quickly elaborated. "The April Shower."

Inuyasha's head tilted up. "But you could only have been about five when that happened."

"Exactly. I thought it was about time I'd forgotten that…" Kagome shook her head as if to clear it. "Uh… do you mind if I get some warm milk?"

Inuyasha stood up and offered her his hand. "Come on. I'll make you some."

Kagome smiled gratefully. "Thanks."

It was only when she was sat down at the kitchen table with Inuyasha heating a mug of milk in the microwave that she realised her state of dress wasn't entirely appropriate. Well… hopefully Inuyasha hadn't noticed that she was braless and dressed only in her knickers and vest. Not that he was any better off. Inuyasha, it seemed, slept in the same shirt and underpants that he'd worn the day before. Kagome tried to steer her attention away from the hanyou to concentrate on the sounds coming through the kitchen window.

How did he manage to sleep with that cold draft?

"Here you go." Inuyasha clapped the mug down on the table before her and eased himself into a second chair.

Kagome smiled her thanks and drew her knees up to her chest - mostly to protect herself from the cold draft of the window and Inuyasha's eyes as a result thereof. She clasped her fingers around the mug and let the warmth seep into her chilled fingers. "Thank you," she said again, taking a small sip of the soothing drink.

"No problem." He chewed thoughtfully on a nail.

"I hope I didn't wake you," she looked across at him anxiously.

Inuyasha pulled a face to show he didn't care. "I was already awake."

_Probably because of that draft, _she thought knowingly. "Maybe you should call someone to fix the window?" she suggested.

"Maybe you shouldn't have broken it?" he suggested right back.

Kagome wrinkled her nose. "You _were _holding me against my will," she pointed out. "What kind of girl would I be if I didn't try to escape?"

"An easygoing one."

"Perhaps." Kagome took another sip and went back to mulling over her dream. She was no stranger to nightmares, but more often than not, they failed to frighten her. They merely left a mild feeling of unease - like that first dream in which she'd been stalked outside 'Curl Up and Dye'. It was rare that a nightmare could make her scream out loud.

"So who was it?"

Kagome blinked as she was pulled out of her thoughts to glance at Inuyasha. "Pardon?"

"Who did you lose in the April Shower?" he asked squarely, tracing a claw over an old coffee stain on the table surface. "Everyone at least knows someone who died back then."

Kagome gave a small shrug. "My dad."

"Sorry." But he said it merely as a formality than with any actual feelings of sympathy. Kagome didn't mind, as she felt no deep loss.

"It was ten years ago," she pointed out. "I don't really remember him that well. I don't even remember losing him. He was a protestor, you see. It was stupid, really… he wasn't a factory worker - he was a lawyer. He didn't even have any obligation to go on that protest, but he did it anyway because he kept saying that 'One man can make a difference'. As if that ever works in real life."

"That's a shame." Inuyasha leant his chin into his palm, looking bored.

"Am I boring you?" she asked incisively.

"Nah…" He sighed as he scratched his stomach absently with his other hand. "It just seems odd that you don't remember it all that clearly. I was about your age when it happened so I remember every detail."

_So old, _thought Kagome, but she kept her opinions to herself. She was sure that he would take offence if she said such things out loud.

"I lost my family as well." He scratched another itch on his neck. "So yeah, I remember every detail."

"Oh… I'm so sorry," Kagome whispered, mortified. To lose a father at a young age was one thing… but to lose an entire family and be able to remember it all? That was something beyond Kagome's comprehension. "Were they protestors?"

Inuyasha shook his head. "No. They just lived in the wrong place at the wrong time. My mother and I lived in the factory district, so when the factory blew, it took a lot of houses with it. My brother didn't live with us, but he was visiting at the time of the explosion to demand the money and heirlooms that my mother had inherited off our father. I guess he was unlucky."

Kagome chewed her lip anxiously. "What about you? Where were you?"

"At the end of the road, sitting on a fence with a few of my human cousins watching the protestors go by. We were cheering them on… well, because most of our parents were factory workers." Inuyasha sighed and pushed a hand through his hair. "When the factory exploded, we were too far away to be caught in the blast… but it was windy that day, and it was only a matter of minutes before the fumes reached us. My cousins died… as did a lot of the protestors around me."

"Oh… so you survived because you're a hanyou." Kagome's curiosity got the better of her. "Did you go to an orphanage?"

"For a while." He grinned at her. "But after a few months I left and joined… the work scene."

"I see," Kagome whispered, nodding slowly as she gazed at her knees. "That must have been hard on you. I doubt many sixteen year olds have to make such a tough living."

Inuyasha gave a careless shrug. To be honest, he didn't think it was such a big deal. "I wasn't actually sixteen, though," he told her. "I was younger."

Kagome snapped curious eyes on him. "Wait… if you weren't sixteen… then how come you're twenty-six now?"

"Believe it or not, I lied about my age." He looked awfully proud about that fact.

"I knew it!" crowed Kagome, slamming her hands onto the table gleefully. "Spill it, buster! How old are you really? Seventeen? Eighteen? You can't be older than twenty, right?"

Inuyasha tilted his head to regard her drolly. "Twenty-five actually."

Kagome deflated. "Oh…"

"Five years ago, I got a fake ID and citizen number courtesy of a few friends." His grin widened as Kagome's mood sank lower. "But at the time I was twenty, and that just wasn't good enough. Everyone knows that the world is only an oyster to the over-twenty-one's."

"Makes sense." The girl took another sip of her milk and raised an eyebrow at him. "But what on earth did you do that warranted a new identity?"

Inuyasha just shrugged with a milder smile than before.

"Your cousin didn't try to kill you, did he?" she joked half-heartedly. She was honestly curious to find out the answer, but seeing as how Inuyasha wasn't going to give it to her straight, she needn't bother asking.

Draining the last of her cooling milk, Kagome started to get up. "Well, I'm going to bed now."

"Don't have any more nightmares," he warned as she tottered back up to the bedroom with a backwards wave.

Once she was gone, Inuyasha stood and slouched over to the window to survey the damage. It only took one decisive glance before he knew that the price would be too much to mend. He'd just have to cover it up with a bin liner or something…

The faint wail of police sirens in the distance made his ears flinch instinctively, even though he had heard that sound every night of his life. Smirking to himself, Inuyasha backed away from the window to resume his earlier sprawl on the sofa.

"What were you thinking…?" he breathed into the quiet apartment.

* * *

It was hard being ten years old. No one ever thought you were capable of walking down the road without an adult to hold your hand, or could fully understand the topic of conversation, or be strong enough to help move a sister's belongings into the attic. But the worst part came when nobody _believed _you about the most important matters in the world. 

Apparently, claiming that a resoundingly dead girl was, in fact, alive, was seen as 'troublemaking'.

"But I'm telling the truth!" Souta cried, following his mother around the kitchen table that evening. "She's alive! I talked to her today!"

Mrs Higurashi whirled to raise a furious finger to her son. "Souta - I won't say it again!" she snapped. "Go to bed, and stop trying to cause trouble!"

In desperation, the boy looked to his grandfather who sat at the table playing Solitaire. "Grandpa - you believe me, don't you?"

"No," the old man responded dryly. "Listen to your mother."

Frustrated, the youngest Higurashi stomped his foot and balled his fists. "I'm _not _lying!" he shouted as loud as he could. "Kagome's alive! She's living in a grotty little flat with this demon dude called Inuyasha and she even came to her own funeral pretending to be a Kangaroo and she won't come home because she doesn't like Kikyo!"

For a moment, it seemed as if Mrs Higurashi's firm hold on her temper was about to lose its grip. But she managed to control herself with one deep, shuddering breath before turning to her father. "Dad, do you think it's possible that he's seeing ghosts?"

"Possibly." Grandpa Higurashi carefully laid the Ace of Hearts down on the table. "But no one in our family has had that gift since… well, not since the eighteenth century at least."

"She's not a ghost!" Souta ground out. "She's _alive_. She hugged me and told me everything!"

"Of course." Mrs Higurashi narrowed her eyes. "About how Kikyo tried to kill her, but unfortunately got the wrong girl who happens to have exactly the same DNA and dental records as Kagome."

Souta gave a big sigh of relief. "Exactly!" Finally, she understood!

But Mrs Higurashi was having no more of it. "Souta, I don't know what's going on here. I really don't. Are you doing this just to upset me? Or have you actually gone completely insane?"

"I'm telling you the truth!" The boy threw up his hands defiantly. "She's living in a flat with a demon! She's fine - but kinda scruffy looking!"

Mrs Higurashi sighed. "Alright then. If she's alive, then show me where she's staying."

Here, the boy faltered slightly. "Um… I can't."

"Why not?" His mother cast a narrow glare on him.

"Because… because Kikyo might have us followed back to where she's hiding out, and then she'll die for sure." From the look on his mother's face, he would probably have better luck convincing Buyo to go on a diet than getting Mrs Higurashi to believe that her daughter was alive. There wasn't anything he could say to convince her.

"Souta…" Mrs Higurashi began slowly. "I want you to go to your room and catch up on your homework. I don't want another peep out of you about Kagome, do I make myself clear?"

"Perfectly." Souta ground his teeth.

"Kagome is _dead_. Do you understand that?" she persisted.

"Yes," he muttered, turning his eyes to the floor.

"Good. Now go to bed."

Souta turned and started moving towards the door. Behind him, he could hear his mother going back to the pile of washing up she'd been attacking since that morning. With a wince, Souta turned around to face her again. "Mama…?"

"What?" Her voice seemed devoid of all feeling.

"Please don't tell Kikyo about what I said…" _At least not until I get you some proof…_

Mrs Higurashi glanced at him over her shoulder, a small wan smile touching her lips. "Don't worry. I won't," she told him. "She'd only hold it against you."

Souta puffed out his cheeks in thought before continuing on his way out of the kitchen. It was all well and good that Kagome was alive, but she could _at least_ come up with a good plan before she started telling people.

Souta rolled his eyes as he walked past his sister's bedroom - which was now very Kikyo-dominated. _Honestly…_

* * *

It was a bright morning when Kagome woke up, the kind of morning that made the room glow an eerie white. Raising a hand to shield her eyes from the intense light, Kagome manoeuvred out of bed and dragged herself towards the chair she'd been using to stack her clothes. It was too early in the morning for proper co-ordination, so she simply grabbed the first articles of clothing her hands landed on. 

After pulling on the black and grey weekend uniform and donning a pair of toasty black socks, Kagome lifted a hand to her hair and winced. The wiry stiffness that she encountered could only mean one thing: she needed a shower. Desperately. Well, living in this squalid apartment did have its assets - and the main one was that it was positioned directly opposite the bath house. A shower wasn't too hard to come-by these days.

"Inuyasha?" Kagome called as she trotted down the stairs. "Inuyasha, I'm just going out to the bath house, is that… alright…?"

She trailed off as she found herself in an empty flat. A scruffy note had been left on the fridge, pinned there by a frog-shaped magnet, and Kagome quickly plucked it off to read.

_Dear sweetheart,_

"Sweetheart…?" Kagome echoed, pulling a face.

_Running an errand, won't be back for an hour, love, your gallant rescuer._

"And when did you write this message?" Kagome glanced at her watch in bewilderment. He might have left two hours ago for all she knew. Inuyasha obviously wasn't used to writing notes of explanation, was he?

Grabbing a pen from the pot stationed beside the phone, Kagome scribbled her own response.

_Dear gnat-brained-ego-monkey, I'm going to the bath house. Left at half-ten, probably won't be back till one. Depends on the lathering. Love, your damsel with much stress._

Out of force of habit, she drew several cutesy hearts around her signature before adding -

_Ps. Just who are you running an errand for anyway?_

Satisfied that she'd penned a decent note, Kagome pinned it back against the fridge and began scouring the flat to find her jacket and purse. When she was finally suitably attired for a trip across the road, despite being half-asleep still, the girl headed out of the flat. She was yawning almost continuously as she stepped onto the street. In fact, she was too busy rubbing her eyes as she began crossing the road to notice the silently speeding car that was bearing down at her.

The blaring of the horn startled her out of her wits, and Kagome only just managed to jump aside in time to avoid a very narrow miss indeed. The car streaked past, the horn still sounding furiously at her stupidity, but Kagome couldn't summon the energy to mutter much more than an unintelligent "Whoops…"

That nightmare had really thrown her sleeping pattern off.

Ignoring the slightly bewildered looks from bystanders, Kagome quickly scrambled out of the road and began jogging towards the bath house entrance. She didn't notice the old woman sitting on the bench, cursing the stupidity of youths who thought they were invincible. She didn't even notice the man she stepped around on her way past the laundrette - the man who watched her too closely to be simple casual interest.

She didn't even notice her cousin's car parked against the curb outside Inuyasha's apartment, nor the shell-shocked young woman who sat in the driver's seat, staring at the place on the road where Kagome had just stood.

* * *

**Fackyews**

**a) How do you get the ideas for these stories? b) How do you go about writing them?**

a) I steal them from people much smarter and eloquent than myself. b) I have several trained monkeys living in my closet that write them for me while I sip lemonade with strawberries and cream on the veranda. Basically that's a very difficult set of questions to answer, and in short, my answer would be 'I don't know, I just do'. Take inspiration from everyone and everything around you. See a mother smacking her child in public and then write a story about child abuse. Look at someone struggling to open the door of his telephone booth and then write a story about a man being held hostage inside one (except don't, because that's already been made into a movie). You can listen to the most moving song you own and try to think of a story that would go with the lyrics and mood perfectly. It's pretty much as simple as that. Take whatever inspiration you want and then write however you want. As long as you think of a story that interests YOU, it should interest other people as well.

**What did Kagome go to a bar for?**

She was on the pull.

**What does ETD stand for?**

ETA stands for Estimated Time of Arrival – usually read or heard in airports. ETD stands for Estimated Time of Death - usually heard in CSI or some other grisly drama.

**Do you get sadistic pleasure in stringing readers along with cliffies at the end of each chapter?**

Yes, but that isn't the sole reason why I write cliffhangers. To quote Jean Saunders, "Every chapter worth its salt ends on a cliffhanger." It keeps continuity flowing, it sets the scene for the next chapter, it encourages readers to keep reading and find out what happens next. Without a cliffhanger, would anyone really be that motivated to read on?

**So are your fackyews coming back, or was that just a sarcastic remark?**

What are you talking about? Me, sarcastic? Never!

**Heck, why am I bothering reviewing? It's highly unlikely that you're reading this…**

On the contrary, I STILL read all my reviews.

**As much as I love the story… where the heck is it going? I can't see the plot!**

Oh good. Just the kind of thing I wanted to hear. :gets out bread knife:

**You suck, your story sucks, why don't you just piss off and die?**

What's not to like about a review that starts with 'You suck':deletes:

**Do you ever get flames for this fic?**

No… well, yes… :points upwards: But when that's about as intelligent as they get, it stops bothering you after a while.

**Your characters are idiots.**

Another kind of thing that I wanted to hear.

**Are Kouga and Kagome ever going to meet in this story...**

Maybe, maybe not. Maybe they already have? (Ooh! Suspense!)

**Isn't it sad that it takes so long to write a chapter and then have someone come along a few minutes later to ask for another one so soon?**

Sort of, but it isn't unreasonable to request an update politely. It's more sad that I spend a whole week writing a chapter to give someone a mere ten minutes of enjoyment and write six thousand plus words to receive one sentence of feedback. But then again, if you add up everyone's ten minutes of entertainment and add up everyone's reviews, it doesn't seem so disproportionate. As long as people are enjoying the story and WANT an update, I'm glad. There are worse things… like… say… guilt trips?

**Hey, you said that you would get back on with Autumn Bane once you finished Dead Famous, but no, you started on this instead! Spare a thought for us poor readers! Doesn't it mean anything to you that you have fans? Don't we deserve SOMETHING? I'd read Zero-G but how do I know that you won't quit that one as well?**

Help! I'm being smothered in guilt! Oh how could I be so cruel! Yes, that's all good and dandy, but please spare a thought to the person who has to write the damn story. While the author slogs away through bouts of 'writers block' to try and finish a chapter, the readers can skip around in fields of daisies beside friendly moo cows without a care in the world. Stop trying to guilt trip authors into writing stories. It's useless, unproductive, rude and ungracious. There's simply no need for it. It's not the end of a world when an author fails to update a story – you can always find another to read instead. Just remember that an author is entitled to his or her own life and it can be excruciatingly difficult and frustrating to finish a story you have no interest in or don't know what to write next.


	14. Catching the Light

**Author's notes: **Blah, blah, blah – ooh, look! An ant! (Yes, you're excused for skipping over this oh-so-important A/N.)

* * *

**Zero-G**

**Chapter 13**

**Catching the Light**

Kikyo was frustrated.

So far this week, three other cosmetics companies had sent spies into the Regenis lab to steal copies of the G-Force formula from under her nose. Kikyo's response had been swift and brutal. Spies had been sniffed out and turned over to the police. Charges had been pressed, and Kikyo had done a little delicate persuasion in getting the judges to throw the book at her unscrupulous opposition under the copyright infringement act.

Nobody would steal anything from Kikyo and get away with it. G-Force was _her _invention and _her _discovery – nobody was going to take that away from her. But it was getting ridiculous. If her competitors were so desperate to get their hands on something like G-Force, they should have come up with it themselves.

Kikyo jerked up the hand-break of her car as she rolled to a stop outside Inuyasha's apartment. When she was frustrated, she could always count on Inuyasha to help her blow off some steam in one way or another, although sometimes this served to be self-defeating. Inuyasha had a miraculous talent for infuriating Kikyo even more than she was already.

Pulling down the rear view mirror to examine her flawless complexion, Kikyo began fumbling for her stick of lip gloss. Carefully, she reapplied the colour to her lips before pressing them together and pouting at the mirror to make sure that it was even. She then twitched the mirror further down to examine her cleavage.

"Far too inappropriate," she chuckled to herself as she tugged her shirt straight and fastened the top button more securely. It would do no good to give Inuyasha ideas, after all. He might start to think that she was _deliberately _trying to entice him.

The squeal of tyres scoring the road and the loud beeping of another car made Kikyo pause in her preparation to look out the window. A black Ford, which had slid to a sudden halt only a few metres away, suddenly sped off, its horn still sounding. Kikyo shook her head and rolled her eyes. People were so aggressive in this neighbourhood. But she had to wonder which fool had been the one to step out in front of a moving vehicle.

With only a half-hearted sense of curiosity, Kikyo looked back to the girl who was still standing in the middle of the road, looking dazed. She looked familiar, but it was only until Kikyo had stared at her for a few more seconds that the pretty face and untamed hair struck recognition.

Kagome.

She was there – standing in the middle of the road. She looked pale and lost, almost as if she wasn't even aware of where she was at all. But despite the papery complexion, made all the more stark for the strong morning light, she was a vision of beauty. It was unearthly.

A white, lumbering transit van trundled past, obscuring Kikyo's view without warning. The young woman craned her neck to try and see around the vehicle, but once it had passed by, Kagome was nowhere to be seen. Looking around in desperation, Kikyo couldn't locate the girl. Where had she gone? It was impossible to just disappear like that!

Hastily, Kikyo pried her seatbelt away and launched herself out of the car, paying no mind to the traffic as she ran to the exact spot where she'd just seen her cousin standing. More angry drivers honked at her, exasperated that yet another stupid girl had stepped into the busy road. But Kikyo was more concerned with locating her dead relative, and she began trying to retrace the girl's steps…

"Kagome?" she called, earning herself several odd looks from the pedestrians around her. "Kagome – where are you!"

She stopped beside the window of a local laundrette to peer inside, wondering if Kagome was in there. She was faintly repulsed to see how common the place was. How could anyone bear to wash their clothes with so many other people in one big room? Didn't they have their own machines to do the job for them? But Kagome didn't appear to be amongst the ranks of pensioners and housewives, and Kikyo quickly turned away to scan the street again.

"Looking for something?"

Kikyo turned to cast an even gaze on the man who had spoken to her. He leant against the wall only a few feet away, a pair of dark sunglasses covering his eyes and dark hair pulled back into a ponytail. "You…" She narrowed her eyes. "Did you just see a girl come by here? Shorter than me but similar looking?"

"Perhaps…" The stranger shrugged. "What's it worth?"

Kikyo was not about to bribe some random moron who may or may not have known anything at all. Rolling her eyes, she flicked her hair over her shoulder. "Whatever," she muttered before turning away and heading back towards her car.

As she opened the door, she wondered momentarily if it had been a wise decision to leave the vehicle unlocked – even if it had only been for a few seconds. With this kind of neighbourhood, it was a miracle that her tyres hadn't been stolen yet. But as she sat herself down behind the wheel, she realised that, yes, she should have been more vigilant.

Inuyasha was sitting beside her.

"Who invited you into my car?" she asked haughtily.

The hanyou shrugged. "Well, I was about to steal your radio… but then I realised who it belonged to." He turned to look at her fully, and Kikyo noticed the purple circle beneath his left eye.

"What happened to your face?"

"Oh, this?" He pointed to himself. "Tried to steal the radio of a car further back… but the old woman fought back."

Kikyo could never get the hang of his self-deprecating humour. "Who did you kill today?"

Slightly put out that she hadn't played along, Inuyasha gave her a mock pout. "That's for me to know, and you to find out," he said with a shrug. "But I did get paid quite handsomely for it."

"Hm." Kikyo turned her eyes back to the road, wondering if she could catch another glimpse of her cousin. "Do you know something, Inuyasha?"

"Yeah?" He was too busy fiddling with the settings of her air conditioning to give her much attention.

"Do you believe in ghosts?"

She watched him carefully, trying to gauge his exact reaction to her words. But all he did was look up at her blankly for a moment before letting a sly smile spread across his face. "Why? Has Kikyo-kun been seeing dead people again?" He slouched back in the passenger seat. "Out of curiosity, when was your last MRI scan?"

"Don't be ridiculous," Kikyo admonished, looking over her shoulder in paranoia. "Ghosts are very real, Inuyasha. The only problem is that _I'm_ not able to see them. So why did I just see my dear cousin in the middle of the street?"

Her words didn't seem to shock Inuyasha. "Yes, why _did _you see your cousin in the middle of the street?" he pondered. "Dare I say – an MRI scan would be ideal right about-"

"Unless she's alive," Kikyo interrupted, turning a hard eye on Inuyasha. "Which begs the question – what is she doing near you?"

The hanyou gave her a slightly irritated look. "Kikyo. The brat is dead," he said evenly. "I saw her die myself. I squeezed the last of her life out with my own two hands… there is no way that the girl is alive."

"Then _what_ is she doing here?" Kikyo waved a hand at the road.

"Perhaps you really can see ghosts?" Inuyasha shrugged carelessly. "Or maybe your conscience is finally catching up with you. It does that after a few years."

Kikyo shot him a dirty look. "Oh, what do you know?" she snapped.

Inuyasha's sigh could have put any young soap actress to shame. "Oh yes, how silly of me. What _do_ I know about consciences?"

The young woman sniffed and turned away with her arms folded. "If that's your attitude, get out of my car."

"What, you came all this way to just sit in your car?" Inuyasha remarked with disbelief.

"I won't ask you again," she ground out.

"Then how about a goodbye kiss?"

That was the last straw for Kikyo. Without hesitation, she bent forward to retrieve the gun she'd stored beneath her seat… only… it wasn't there.

"Looking for this?"

Kikyo looked up to see the hanyou spinning her weapon around his index finger like a toy. She glared at him and held out her hand. "Give it to me," she ordered.

"Why?" He held it out of her reach, pointing it at the roof. "You're only going to threaten me with it. So like you, isn't it Kikyo? When you don't get your way, you just resort to violence."

It wasn't worth getting angry over. Folding her arms again, Kikyo simply turned coy and flirtatious with him. "Violence can be very persuasive, Inuyasha."

"True," he hummed as he examined the gun in his hand. "Cool… these only just came out on the market. But you do realise that you could get yourself ten years imprisonment for possessing a gun like this?"

Kikyo tilted her shoulders up. "I have a licence."

"No such thing." He smirked, closing one eye and pointing the gun at her playfully. "But doesn't it bother you, Kikyo?"

She blinked at him slowly, her smile never wavering.

"Your power lies in your tools, and that's a very dangerous disadvantage for you," Inuyasha explained softly. "Like this gun - in your hands you could threaten me, bully me and even kill me if you wanted to. But see how easily your power was turned against you? Now you're at _my _mercy, and you have nothing with which to defend yourself."

"It's just a stupid gun." She gave a shrug as if it didn't bother her that a deadly weapon was being aimed at her body. "And anyway, you wouldn't shoot me. You love me."

"Ah, I see!" Inuyasha nodded as if she'd given him the most enlightening answer in the world. "Perhaps you're not as defenceless as you seem."

"I'm the most dangerous woman alive, and you know it." Kikyo sneered at him.

"Yes, you are." Inuyasha conceded. "But you shouldn't take my advice lightly, Kikyo, because the moment you're betrayed and your most reliable weapons are stripped away – you _will _be defenceless. Not all your enemies are in love with you."

"You're underestimating me, Inuyasha," Kikyo retorted, reaching out to take back her weapon from his yielding fingers. "I know how to handle myself. I have the Coalescence on my side, after all."

Inuyasha shook his head with a slight smile. She'd missed the point… as per usual. And now she had retaken her temporary power and was pointing the gun at his head. "Get out my car," she told him. "Or your brain will decorate that window behind you."

"What about Kagome?" he suddenly asked. "If she's really alive, don't you want my help in tracking her down again?"

"After you fucked up so badly the last time? I doubt it." Kikyo gave a derogatory snort. "But she's not alive. We all saw that corpse, and the DNA test was conclusive. Ninety-six percent chance of being related to my aunt – that's too high to write off. Yes, that girl is very dead."

Inuyasha shrugged. "Then you're going crazy, baby."

Kikyo rolled her eyes. "Didn't I tell you to get out of my car?"

"Well, there's no need to tell me twice." He started to open the door, but the moment his foot touched the pavement, Kikyo grabbed his sleeve and jerked him back towards her. His face was tugged towards hers, and with a cool finger and thumb gripping his chin, their lips met.

Good old, unpredictable Kikyo. It wasn't a tender kiss – more of an attack than anything else. Her forearms clamped behind his neck, locking him in place while she assaulted his mouth. If their genders had been reversed, Inuyasha was pretty sure that he could have filed for sexual harassment. Hell, he'd probably file for sexual harassment anyway. But there was just something about Kikyo that made him melt into a useless blob of putty whenever her lips touched his, enabling her to handle him in any way she wanted.

"You haven't been keeping secrets from me, have you, Inuyasha?" she purred, stroking his ears intimately, even while she still held the gun.

"Haven't… had to." He'd have to start wearing his motorbike helmet whenever he was around this girl. She had a habit of reaching straight for his most vulnerable spot… but… for now… screw it…

Kikyo drew him back for another lingering kiss. "Kagome _is _dead, isn't she, Inuyasha?" she whispered again.

"As dead as… they get…" Her kisses were intoxicating. It was hard to think straight and keep up the continuity of his lies when she rubbed his ears as wickedly as she was doing now.

"Such an adorable puppy," Kikyo crooned, holding his face between her hands. The chrome casing of the gun was cold against his brow, but somehow didn't compare to the chill of her kiss. His eyes flicked open a moment to look upon her flawless beauty.

And he saw Kagome gazing back at him.

Disturbed, Inuyasha tried to pull away, but Kikyo's grip was strong and alluring. When she kissed him again, it seemed to resonate warmth… some sort of affection. Her touch was kind, her manner gentle. For that brief second she was almost interchangeable with her younger cousin, and Inuyasha saw hope.

But the moment was shattered with a deafening bang as Kikyo's gun discharged beside his head. A terrible pain ripped through his skull, a scream tore from his throat as he lifted a hand to cradle his wound. It seemed fruitless. The blood still flowed thick and warm down his scalp and neck.

"You bitch!" he gasped. "You shot my ear!"

Kikyo didn't appear to give a toss about his wound. "Don't you _dare_ ever take my weapon again," she whispered in a low, venomous tone. "Next time, I'll be shooting off more… _expendable _parts." She glanced down at his lap for emphasis.

On hindsight, it was probably a good thing that Kikyo had pressed a foot against his chest and literally _kicked _him out of the car. Inuyasha was in too much pain to have done more than whimper pitifully. As Kikyo's car roared away down the street, leaving him in a cloud of dust and gravel, Inuyasha lay on the pavement and grimaced up at the heavens.

Of all the places she could have chosen to punch a bullet through… why did it have to be his ear? It was the most sensitive part of his body - he'd taken bullets in his shoulder that were less painful than this. The blood was pooling beneath his head, filling his nose with the metallic stench of injury. His instincts told him to get up and stop being such a pansy… but his mind was reeling in defeat.

In truth, the wound was not devastating – it would heal quickly and completely given a few days. But the fact that he'd been caught off guard so drastically… to have been lulled into believing, for those two seconds, that Kikyo was capable of decency and love… _that_ was the devastating wound. The only solace he had was that Kikyo had probably shot a hole through her car's roof during that attempt to remove his ear.

"Shit…" he breathed, laughing quietly at his own stupidity. But that laugh threatened to choke him, and he quickly lost sight of the humour in his situation. "Shit… shit… shit… _shit!"_

"Excuse me, young man, do you need an ambulance?"

Inuyasha had his eyes closed and his arm draped over his face, but even so, he could still tell that the speaker was an elderly man. The hanyou politely refused his offer. "Fuck off, you old twat."

That was the nice thing about this neighbourhood. You could be gunned down in the street, and no one would bother you with their interfering nonsense. Inuyasha didn't know how long he lay there pathetically, waiting for his ear to stop bleeding. He lost count of the mothers who crossed over the street with their prams to avoid him – he lost count of the people avoiding him full stop. Occasionally someone would poke him to see if he was alive, but other than that, Inuyasha was left very much in peace.

Then Kagome arrived.

"Oh my god!" He heard a familiar shriek beyond the roaring in his ears. "Oh my god – Inuyasha!"

Another car honked angrily as the girl took a second kamikaze dive across the road to reach him. Moments later, she tumbled down onto her knees at his side, her fingers splayed across his chest. The constant smell of blood that had been bombarding him was chased away for a moment by the arrival of something much sweeter and more flowery. Inuyasha sighed, wondering if he should feel relieved or annoyed.

"Inuyasha – what happened?" Her fingers clenched against his shirt. "Oh god, you're bleeding everywhere. Tell me what happened! I heard the gunshot, but I didn't think – I mean – I didn't know- oh god – oh crap!"

Inuyasha opened his eyes to look up at her. He saw the intense worry etched into her face and the wet tendrils of hair that had been dislodged from her hair toggle during her dash to reach him. Her face may have echoed Kikyo's, but her spirit flared independently.

_If only **you **were capable of being as kind as she is…_

Inuyasha's lack of response was beginning to worry Kagome further. Looking around, she tried to find someone who was willing to stop and help. "Please – someone call an ambulance! He needs help!"

"I've got a phone in my pocket, if that would help." Inuyasha offered flatly.

Kagome peered down at him, concerned. "Are you alright?"

"Fine." He shrugged and lowered his arm from his face. "I'm quite well, actually."

Kagome's gaze darted over him in a quick once-over, doubting his sincerity. "Your ear's a bit… injured," she said shakily. "What happened?"

"Drive-by shooting. It happens around here, what with the different gangs and stuff…" He looked at her bleakly. "Did I mention that this was a bad neighbourhood?"

"Several times." Kagome touched a careful hand to his brow, examining his wound. "We should probably get you to a doctor. I don't like the amount of blood you're lying in…"

Inuyasha made an indifferent sound. "Head wounds. They always look worse than they actually are."

"Yeah, well, that's still bad enough." She frowned into his face. "Your eye's bruised… what happened to it?"

"Got punched," he responded bluntly.

"By who?" She gaped at him.

"Someone with a very big fist?" he guessed vaguely before raising a hand to shield his eyes from the midday sun. "You have to go, Kagome."

Kagome blinked in confusion. "What? You mean… go get an ambulance?"

"No. You have to _leave," _he stressed. "Preferably now."

"What are you talking about?" she said hotly, dismissing his words as the mere ramblings of a man suffering from heat stroke. How long had he been lying in the sun anyway? "Can you stand?"

"Yes."

"And can you walk?"

"Of course I can."

"Then let's get you inside." Kagome attempted to help him up, but Inuyasha seemed reluctant to cooperate. Exasperated, the girl sighed at him. "Come _on_. You're going to bleed to death if you sit out here all day!"

"No, I won't." He shrugged.

"But people are staring at you!" Kagome hissed, looking around at the many curious faces peering back at them. She could forgive them for staring – after all, it wasn't every day that you saw a sulky hanyou bleeding on the pavement. Sighing, she looked down at him and continued her reprimand. "You're being childish."

"How is bleeding on a street corner considered 'childish'?" the hanyou groused as he finally allowed himself to sit up. Kagome gulped at the sight of his blood-drenched shirt, but steeled herself to focus on the more important task of helping him to his feet.

Inuyasha didn't appreciate her attentiveness. "Stop it." He forcefully pushed her away and climbed to his feet alone.

Kagome tried to pretend that she wasn't hurt, but she'd never been that good at hiding her emotions. Frostily, she waved a hand to the steps leading to the block of flats. "Come on then," she said, hovering between her teenage desire to flounce up the steps and leave him behind to rot and her nurturing tendency to reach out and help him up the stairs.

Fortunately, Inuyasha didn't need helping up the stairs, and he swiftly passed her as if in perfect health. Kagome trailed after him slowly, feeling slightly bemused at his behaviour. She followed him into the building and up the stairs toward the flat. He let himself inside, but Kagome stopped in the doorway to watch with further bewilderment as he simply sat down at the kitchen table and began staring off into space.

_He's probably in shock or something_… thought Kagome. _Screw that! **I'm **in shock!_

Closing the door quietly, the girl tiptoed forward a few steps. "Inuyasha… are you really ok?"

"Never better," he responded in a monotone, now beginning to frown into space.

Kagome echoed his expression as she moved over to the kitchen sink. This was probably one of those times when it really would have helped to own a first aid kit… but for lack of proper bandages and disinfectant, Kagome had to improvise. She took one of the cleaner kitchen towels and began soaking it in warm water before wringing it out and moving to sit next to Inuyasha.

"Is it ok…?" she asked cautiously, holding up the damp towel.

Inuyasha merely shrugged, allowing Kagome to have her way with him.

The wound wasn't actually as bad as it had first appeared. There was a messy tear in his ear, but it seemed to have healed so fast that Inuyasha barely even flinched when she dabbed the ear with the wet towel. His immaculate white hair had been stained a dark red, as had his shirt. Kagome managed to persuade him to remove the top in order to wipe away the blood crusting over his back and shoulder. "Wait there," she said, tossing the towel back into the sink. "I'll just get you another shirt."

The hanyou didn't even bother acknowledging her as she sped off to start digging through a fresh pile of laundry. She returned after a few minutes with a grey cotton shirt and, with absentminded cooperation on Inuyasha's behalf, she managed to slide it over his shoulders to button up the front.

As she finished the last button, she looked up at him with a weak smile. Inuyasha was now glowering into space, and Kagome could easily tell that his mood had been deteriorating ever since she'd found him on the pavement. "That was pretty lucky, wasn't it?" she ventured, trying to make him see the lighter side of the situation. "A few inches lower, and he would have got you in the brain."

"I don't find it particularly lucky," he stated tersely, "that I was shot at all."

Kagome drew back. "I'm sorry… I was just-"

Inuyasha interrupted her as he suddenly stood up, knocking his chair to the floor. "What are you still doing here?" he snapped, but Kagome knew it was rhetorical. "I've done my part by you – I _saved _you. The least you can do in return is to leave me in peace. The longer you stay here, the more danger you put me in!"

Kagome narrowed her eyes thoughtfully. "Are you saying… someone shot you because of me?"

"No," he barked. "But what will happen when Kikyo discovers that you're still alive? What if she already has? How long do we have until she comes to tie off a few loose threads? You need to leave here before she figures the truth out."

The girl could only stare at him. What was this all of a sudden? Until now, Inuyasha had been pretty laidback about this matter… so why was he pushing it now of all times? "Inuyasha… has Kikyo found out that I'm alive? Did someone tell her?"

"She _saw_ you, Kagome." The hanyou dragged a hand through his hair in exasperation. "But I don't know if she figured out the truth, or sincerely believes that she's just being haunted by her conscience."

Kagome's mouth went dry. "Are you serious?"

"Who the fuck did you think shot me!" he snarled.

She looked at his ear with wide eyes as the pieces of the puzzle slotted into place. "Kikyo shot you?" she whispered. She probably should have been more shocked… but after learning that her cousin was very capable of murder, _this_ didn't seem so far fetched.

Was this why Inuyasha was so upset? Because he'd been shot by the woman he loved… by the woman he hated? And perhaps this was why he was suddenly so desperate to get her to leave…?

Despite herself, Kagome couldn't help but ask the question that had been bothering her for a while. "Do you still love her?" she asked softly. "Even after all she's done… even after this?"

"My feelings are none of your concern," the hanyou spat. "It would be best for all of us if you simply _left_!"

Kagome laughed caustically. "I don't _have_ anywhere to go!"

"Anywhere is better than here!"

"I told you that I would stop at nothing to get my life back!" she argued, turning in her chair to glare at him. "I meant it. I know you said that you wouldn't help me – and I respect that – but I still have to do this. I'm going to tell the police that Kikyo has connections to the Coalescence, and then I'm going to go home and resume my life."

"We've had this conversation before!" Inuyasha snapped at her. "The moment you reveal yourself to anyone – Kikyo, the police, it doesn't matter – the Coalescence will know within minutes and have you killed. Right now, your life is tied to mine, and if you die, I die." He shook his head angrily and moved to the sink to begin washing the blood out of the towel. "I am _not _willing to let that happen."

Kagome was silent as she tried to figure out another plan of action on the spot.

"Your only chance is to take down the Coalescence." Inuyasha said, squeezing red water from the towel. "Take away Kikyo's main weapon, and she will be defenceless to whatever you throw at her, albeit lawsuits or hand grenades."

"Then that's what I'll do." Kagome said determinedly, even though she knew it was irrational and near impossible.

"I don't think so." Inuyasha glanced back at her, and for the first time since she'd met him she saw a spark of unfathomable hostility in his eyes. "Because I won't let you even _touch_ the Coalescence."

A stifled beat of silence passed between them as Kagome met Inuyasha's steely gaze with defiance. "What's that supposed to mean?"

The hanyou shrugged and focused his attention back on wringing out the towel as if he had meant nothing by his words.

Feeling uneasy, Kagome watched the back of his head, trying to figure him out. By now she was confident that she couldn't trust her own cousin… but had she been wrong to assume that Inuyasha, the enemy of her enemy, was her friend?

* * *

Kagome had refused to speak to him for the better part of that day. She had gone to bed with little more than a curt 'Goodnight' and a flip of her hair as she stomped up the stairs to get changed. It wasn't even her bedroom, yet she acted as if she owned exclusive rights to it. This was merely another motivation to get the teenage girl out of his flat… maybe he'd be able to have a decent night's sleep in his own bed for a change. 

The hanyou had stayed awake all night watching television, as usual. There was never anything interesting on – only new reports and late night education programs aimed at toddlers. By six o'clock, Inuyasha had assured himself that he was now able to count to ten without any aid from coloured frogs or patronising women.

It was at this time when his mobile phone began beeping insistently in his pocket. He snapped it open quickly to keep from waking the slumbering teenager upstairs and narrowed his eyes to see '_One new SMS_' from '_The Ahole'._ Giving a bone cracking yawn, Inuyasha opened the text message and read the contents.

'Spanish embass. is cuming 2 town. Y dont U cum an join the welcum committee w/ us? We will B by the fountain at tube at 9. Koga'

"Urgh…" Inuyasha snapped his phone shut. "Use freaking predictive text, you moron." _If he says 'cum' one more time…)_

It had been quite a few months since Inuyasha had worked alongside his cell. Recently he'd been assigned a lot of 'solo' jobs that he could complete himself. The fact that Naraku thought that this particular job needed more than one agent meant that it would undoubtedly be a little tougher than usual.

The tough part came in tolerating Kouga for longer than five minutes. The other members of their cell weren't so bad. Bankotsu may have been one of those short squirts that made up for height and education with aggression and arrogance, and Jakotsu may have been a little on the fruity side, but at least they weren't as annoying as Kouga. Ok… maybe Jakotsu could give the wolf a run for his money.

Inuyasha sent a short 'Sure' response to Kouga before heading to the bathroom to give his face a quick wash. He checked his appearance in the mirror and was glad to see that his ear had healed perfectly during the night. Bullet wounds could be a pain in the ass and would sometimes take days to heal… but fortunately, the bullet had passed straight through this time so that there was no lasting damage. At least this meant that his fellow cell agents wouldn't see the injury and start giving him stick about being shot down by a woman…

Venturing upstairs, Inuyasha pushed open the bedroom door to peer inside at the sleeping teenager. The room was dim, but enough light filtered through the window to cast a pale oblong across the tangled bed sheets and Kagome's exposed legs. With a sigh, Inuyasha mooched forward to straighten the duvet before she caught a chill… and only paused for a few moments to admire the smooth skin of her calves. Her burns had faded almost completely now, leaving only a slight white sheen to her skin in patches.

Kagome didn't stir, seemingly oblivious to his presence as he eyes flickered behind their lids in a deep state of REM sleep. Assuming he was safe from her wild accusations of 'paedophile', Inuyasha sat down beside the girl and watched her dream. With her hair ruffled in an unidentifiable style and her mask of serene tranquillity, she looked almost identical to her cousin. It was almost too painful to look directly at her, so Inuyasha directed his gaze to her shoulder instead.

"You have to understand…" he whispered to the unmindful girl, "that I can't help you destroy the Coalescence. It's impossible, and it would only get us killed." He sighed again as he brushed his fingers lightly over her arm. "It's all I have, Kagome."

The girl twitched in her sleep, slapping at her arm as if there was a mosquito crawling over it. Inuyasha stood up and began looking around for a pen, deciding that Kagome might appreciate another little note to explain his absence - without actually explaining anything, of course…

* * *

It was becoming oddly familiar to wake up in the morning and find herself all alone in the flat. Inuyasha had once again disappeared without a trace, and Kagome was left stumbling around the kitchen in a groggy daze, looking for the note of absence which seemed to be eluding her. Perhaps he'd forgotten to leave one… or perhaps he was still vexed and angry with her? 

When Kagome finally managed to stagger into the bathroom to brush her teeth, she also found Inuyasha's note.

It was, logically, written across her forehead in permanent black ink. Even more amazingly, he'd written the note backwards so she'd be able to read her own reflection.

"Gone to work… back later." Kagome repeated, grinding her teeth as she noticed he'd also signed his name down the bridge of her nose.

Oh, that scabby little hanyou would pay dearly when she next clapped eyes (and other things) on him.

Infuriatingly, it took nearly twenty minutes to scrub the ink off her face, leaving behind a bold pink glow on her forehead and nose. This only helped reaffirm her desire to batter Inuyasha's skull in with a frying pan. Her mood didn't alleviate any further when she then discovered that _someone_ had knocked her pile of clean clothes onto the floor.

"So graceless…" she muttered to herself as she pulled on her weekend uniform and tied back her hair with the nearest scrap of cloth. The ribbon may have been red, but Kagome reasoned that since she probably wouldn't leave the flat today, it was safe to wear such a bold colour. No one would see her.

_Inuyasha's having a bad influence on me_, she thought with a wry smile as she flopped down on the sofa and began watching the morning news. Nothing interesting had happened to the world since Kagome had last been updated. A few more car bombs had gone off towards the centre of Tokyo and a Spanish ambassador was visiting for the day, but that was pretty normal.

Her mind strayed back to Inuyasha, and she idly wondered if his wound had healed from the previous day. Was it really true that Kikyo had shot him? Did Kikyo even know _how _to fire a weapon? How fast did hanyous heal anyway? Was he trying to get her to leave simply because he was tired of her presence? Or was he becoming so irresistibly attracted to her that he had to push her away for her own good? Had Kagome been reading too many romance novels recently?

She gave up her 'idle' ponderings before she gave herself a headache. Coverage of the Spanish ambassador's arrival wasn't nearly as interesting as it sounded, so she stood up and went to the fridge to find breakfast.

Halfway through pouring the milk into her bowl of cereal, the door opened behind her and someone stepped into the flat. Kagome smiled to herself, thinking it was Inuyasha. "So what were you doing today?" she asked. "Putting out fires and helping kittens out of trees?"

She turned to bring her breakfast to the table… but the moment her gaze landed on Kikyo, the bowl slipped like ice from her fingers to shatter on the floor. A spoon hung limply from her other hand as she stared in horror at her cousin.

Kikyo, on the other hand, seemed delighted. "I knew he was keeping you here…"

* * *

**Fackyews! Yay! Aren't these fun!**

**Why is this story an R? (translation: Where's the sex!)**

To anyone asking this question, go take a gander to my profile page and read the 'fic status' section. It explains why all my stories suddenly jumped up in rating. It's a long boring story which takes exactly 1,000 words to outline completely, so I'll just give it to you in a nutshell: Trolls, reports, fic deletions, ferrets, hopping mad rozefires, and random gratuitous scenes of author abuse.

**GAR! There's no such things as 'moo cows' ER-ARGH! GERUP! Name-name should llik ruoy yrros esr! GAH! Chip-chun-chah!**

Stop smacking the chinchilla against the keyboard!

**OMGDZ!1! Inuyasha can't be 25! That's too old! He really is a paedophile!**

Hey, you haven't read my über-fantastic plot twist that's coming up in which Inuyasha falls into a stasis tube and sleeps for ten years and when he emerges he's exactly the right age for Kagome and they all live happily ever after and had lots of babies. (Meh, might save this twist for a different story…)

**"To thine own self be true," is from hamlet. Can they sue you for that?**

No, because it's a proverb.

**Where did you get all those sayings? A book?**

No, because it's a proverb.

**Are you much like Kagome in real life?**

Only in that we're both female. Other than that… not really, no. I'm more like Miroku. Quite nice and pleasant on the surface but you just know that there's something seedy and opportunistic about me…

**What's a paedophile?**

Are you sure that you're old enough to be reading this story?

**Why are you so bitter about everything?**

Because I live on the same latitude as Siberia.

**You have a plot. You have an idea. You have no reason to claim of a delay by a writer's block.**

Well, duh. I never said I had writer's block on _this _story.

**When's the hot Inu/Kag sex coming?**

Probably never.

**Ooh! Do you speak with a british accent!**

There's no such thing as a British accent. Britain consists of three different languages (UK has four) and each region has its own unique dialect, if not a handful of them. Accents change in Britain every ten miles or so, but thanks to the BBC and a lot of british films (Harry Potter, Bridget Jones, etc) who think Britain starts and ends in London, it's a common misconception that there are only two accents in England: cockney and upper-class snob-lish. So I do not have a 'british accent', I have a blend of several northern accents (Surrey, Stokie, Solford, Oldham, Manchester) as well an unfortunate London tendency to pronounce my words intelligibly – giving me the blandest 'British accent' ever. My Mancunian friends think I'm posh, my London relatives think I'm common… I can't win, really. All I can say is that my accent is worryingly close to Ron Weasley's.

**Ok, someone is sexually frustrated and it's not me…**

Well, don't look at me.


	15. The Owl Code

**Author's Notes: **Last Chapter:gets pelted by various blunt objects and stinky old socks: Ok, ok...only kidding.

* * *

**Zero-G**

**Chapter Fourteen**

**The Owl's Code**

It was a good day to die.

Not that Inuyasha would be doing any such thing. _That _was the ambassador's job. But if he could choose any day of the year in which to be the unsuspecting victim of an assassin's rifle, it would have been on a day like this – the kind of day when the last thing he would see was the limitless blue sky above him as the sun warmed his face. If that was the last image he ever saw, Inuyasha wouldn't have minded.

Yes, on days like this, death didn't seem so terrifyingly final.

Sitting along the rim of the fountain that marked the entrance of the subway, Inuyasha watched the commuters stalk past. Each one of them looked bleak, but determined, as if they had somewhere important to be but would rather not be there. Wasn't that just the story of everyone's life? Everyone was doing something they didn't want to.

However, watching these people was giving Inuyasha a headache. He could have sworn that there were, in actual fact, only two hundred people around him, but they just kept going in circles to confuse him. Everyone was wearing black, everyone looked grim, they all walked in the same directions and _they all looked the same_.

"I might as well be watching a field of sheep…" Inuyasha muttered under his breath as another fresh wave of commuters piled out of the tube station entrance before him. He took a moment to scan their faces, just in case any of his fellow cell agents were among them, but no one stood out.

Turning away, Inuyasha tilted his face up and squinted at the tall buildings around him. Most of them were entirely comprised of glass, bouncing the light between their surfaces whilst glowing an unnatural shade of white. The hanyou closed his eyes with a sigh, eager to try and shut out the world from his senses. Instead, he attempted to concentrate on the soothing trickle of the water feature behind him rather than the constant hum of city life.

"Boo!"

Inuyasha blinked and snapped his head around to see Kouga standing beside him. The wolf had managed to sneak up on him, much to Inuyasha's chagrin – and from the look on Kouga's face, he knew it. "You're late," Inuyasha said abruptly.

"And you're letting your guard down." Kouga smirked, folding his arms. "I could have slit your throat before you even realised I was here!"

"Shut up," the hanyou griped as irritation seeped down his spine. His claws bit into the marble rim of the fountain. "I heard you coming."

"No, you didn't." Kouga smirked broadly, utterly pleased with himself.

"Kouga…" Inuyasha gave him a stupefied stare. "Stampeding rhinoceroses dragging the entire London Session Orchestra have more grace and stealth than you. I _heard _you coming." He hadn't, but that wasn't the issue here…

"No, you didn't." Kouga jeered.

"Yes, I did."

"No, you didn't."

"Yes, I fucking did!" _I want to strangle you and feed you to a swarm to elderly piranhas with dentures, you arrogant asshole! _"And where the fuck is Bankotsu and Jakotsu?"

"Oh," Kouga sighed, looking away with a shrug. "We sent Bankotsu and your boyfriend home before you arrived."

Inuyasha narrowed his eyes. "Why?"

A new voice entered the conversation. "Because there's been a delay in our plans."

Inuyasha knew that voice, and he quickly whipped around to face his boss who was sitting on the opposite side of the fountain. It was probably very rude, but Inuyasha couldn't help himself… "What are you doing here?"

"There's been a slight change of plan, Inuyasha." Naraku smiled mildly as he stood up. He could have easily passed for another human in his black suit and briefcase. Naraku didn't get out a lot, but when he did, he made sure he wasn't noticed. "The Spanish ambassador's flight has been delayed."

Inuyasha blinked. "Why?"

Naraku sniffed and looked away, scanning the crowds. "It seems as if someone tipped off the authorities to the fact that the ambassador is a Coalescence target. He won't be arriving till this later this evening… and by then his security will have been multiplied."

With a sigh, Inuyasha stood. "Great. Call me when you need me."

"Wait a moment, Inuyasha." Naraku held up a hand, and the hanyou paused a moment, watching his boss closely. "I just wanted to ask you something…"

"Shoot." Inuyasha shrugged, glancing at a bored looking Kouga.

Naraku tilted his head. "You wouldn't happen to know where these leaks are coming from?" he asked evenly. "I don't know… perhaps you've overheard things? Perhaps you know who the mole is?"

Inuyasha narrowed his eyes. There was no need to play coy here. He knew _exactly_ what Naraku meant. "Are you implying that _I _am the mole?"

"No beating around the bush with you, is there, Inuyasha?" Naraku smiled and laughed cordially. A very strange sound to hear. "But you know the only reason why it has crossed my mind is because you haven't exactly been jumping in with both feet recently. You seem to have one foot in your work… but where is the other foot?"

Inuyasha tried to ignore the way Kouga was now staring at his feet. "I'm still as committed as ever. I've just… had some personal problems lately."

"Ah." Naraku nodded understandingly. "Money trouble? Mother problems? Perhaps a lovers' tiff?"

Inuyasha flinched, fighting the urge to rub away the uncomfortable tingling that had just spread through his ear. "Something like that…"

"I empathize entirely, Inuyasha. Women are sometimes more trouble than they're worth." Naraku clasped his hands behind his back, dangling his briefcase idly. "But you know the old proverb… plenty more fish in the sea."

"Mm." Inuyasha hummed, hoping that his hooded eyes gave nothing away.

"Are you familiar with proverbs, Inuyasha?" Naraku asked suddenly.

Why was this conversation still going? It wasn't normal for Naraku to pursue small talk. "More or less," he responded. "My mother used to teach me them. She said they were the wisest lessons that could ever be taught."

Naraku nodded slowly. "I agree. It's amazing how much wisdom can be compressed into such a short little epigram. Are you familiar with Chinese proverbs?"

Inuyasha glanced again at Kouga, trying to gauge the true meaning behind this interrogation. But the wolf gave nothing away other than a crafty little smirk Looking back at Naraku, Inuyasha shrugged. "I know a few."

"My personal favourite is 'Kill a chicken before a monkey.'" Naraku smiled tightly. "It means to frighten your true foe by killing the unimportant first. You have to remember this, Inuyasha. What we're doing… the terror we inflict on these people… it's _nothing_. The few who die justify the means to the end when we finally obtain our ultimate goal."

"I know that," said Inuyasha quietly.

"Then your reluctance is truly only due to… girl trouble?"

Inuyasha lifted his chin to look Naraku in the eye. "I have a favourite Chinese proverb. 'Love my house, love my crow.'"

"Interesting," Naraku's smile didn't waver. "And what exactly does it mean?"

"I'm not entirely sure." Inuyasha frowned thoughtfully. "It just sounds cool, and I like crows. 'All crows everywhere are black,' right?"

Kouga rolled his eyes. "Well, duh…"

Inuyasha cast him a sour glare. "It's another proverb, you nitwit," he ground out. "It means a bad person is always bad, wherever they happen to be, because human nature never changes."

"Quite." Naraku concurred. "A problem we've been fighting since the dawn of time. But I have a feeling that we'll prevail soon."

"Cool." Kouga chirped.

Now it was Inuyasha's turn to roll his eyes. "The lights are on, but no one's home…"

"What's that supposed to mean!" Kouga snapped at him.

"It means you're an idiot!" Inuyasha snapped back.

"Boys, boys, now, now. No need to direct your anger at each other. It's such a waste," Naraku said blithely. "Let's just return to our lives and reconvene later tonight when I find out the finer details of the Spaniard's visit. Make sure you're both prepared – mentally and physically. This will probably be one of the toughest missions yet."

"Wonderful." Inuyasha dug his hands into his jacket pockets. "I'll be at home if you need me."

He turned, and with a nasty leer in Kouga's direction, stalked off towards the multi-storey car park where he'd stashed his bike.

Naraku and Kouga watched him leave until they were very certain he was out of earshot. Kouga turned to his boss and simply shrugged. "Well, don't look at me… I haven't got a clue."

"Hmm…" Naraku narrowed his eyes and stroked his chin. "I'm inclined to put my faith in him. But why would Kikyo lie?"

"Well, they did used to… you know…" The wolf made sounds akin to the squeaking of rusty bed springs.

Naraku stared blankly at him before sucking in a breath. "I see. Kikyo might be lying then."

"Yeah, but can't we just kill him anyway?" Kouga implored. "He's so annoying…"

"Perhaps to you, Kouga, but to me he is one of my finest men." Naraku shook his head. "No… I'm not about to do anything that would ultimately do more harm than good to our cause. To kill Inuyasha would be a severe setback. I want proof first."

"And what if she's right?" Kouga scuffed his boot across the marble of the fountain. "What do we do if he really is a traitor and he really did save that Higurashi chick?"

Naraku smiled slowly. "Butcher the donkey _after_ it has completed its job."

* * *

Kagome wasn't entirely sure what had happened. One minute she'd been standing in Inuyasha's kitchen with a broken bowl of Kellogg's at her feet and a stainless steel spoon clutched in her hand. In the next, she'd found herself sitting beside Kikyo in her expensive car, on her way to god only knew where. The spoon was still held tightly in her hand.

"I knew, you see," Kikyo said as they stopped before an intersection. The windows had been wound down, and Kikyo rested a slender arm out of the opening as she waited for the lights to change. "I came down here yesterday to pay Inuyasha a visit – that's when I saw you. I saw you, and I knew that you were alive and that Inuyasha had done something awful. But he saw me there too, and you know how dangerous that guy is, so I just had to lie and say that I thought you were merely an apparition. He believed me and let me go, but I didn't go far. I was waiting for him to leave again so I could rescue you, you see?"

Kagome wasn't sure what she saw. Her head was still reeling in shock, and she couldn't seem to grasp the fact that she was sitting in Kikyo's car… with Kikyo, no less. But perhaps it was just the midday heat making her dizzy – and perhaps it was the smog of pollution wafting through the windows that was making her lungs feel strangely tight. The roaring in her ears was even drowning out the digital tune that played from the traffic lights as pedestrians continued to swarm across the road in flocks. Black suited pedestrian, white striped crossing, black suited pedestrian, white striped crossing… it was enough to make anyone dizzy, and Kagome had to hold a hand over her eyes. _What on earth is going on here…?_

The music ended, and Kikyo quickly set off, anxiously darting glances in her rear-view mirror. "I mean, I knew he was a bastard… but _this_?" Kikyo shook her glamorous head. "Even I didn't think he'd sink this low."

Kagome said nothing. She understood nothing. She wasn't even sure how she was supposed to be feeling right then. "What's going on, Kikyo…?"

Kikyo ignored the question. "What did he do to you, Kagome?" she asked vehemently. "You can tell me anything, remember? We're cousins, right? Whatever he did to you, I will make sure he pays _dearly_."

Kagome stared at the older woman. It was almost as if Kikyo was trying to…_ help_ her.

"I can't even begin to tell you how worried we were, Kagome." Kikyo shot her a pained look. "We've all been grieving our heads off – your mother's practically made herself sick with misery. Souta's been acting like a hooligan, and Grandpa won't talk about you. They'll be so relieved to know that you're safe!"

The girl's frown deepened. "Kikyo… what's going on?"

"What do you mean 'what's going on'?" she retorted shortly. "Kagome, you've been missing for nearly a month – haven't you noticed?"

"Well… yeah…" Kagome shifted awkwardly, wondering why her evil cousin hadn't tried to kill her yet.

When Kikyo had walked into the flat, unannounced and very out of the blue, Kagome had been too shocked to do anything other than obey her words: "Get your coat, get your bag, we're leaving."

"He did this to get back at me," Kikyo continued, swerving around another car in an effort to overtake. "I'm sorry to have to tell you this, Kagome, but you know that guy who was keeping you captive?"

"Inuyasha?"

"Yes, him. Believe it or not, but I used to date that guy. But when we broke up, he didn't take it very well." In irritation, Kikyo slapped the steering wheel. "You know – this is _exactly_ the reason why I ended our relationship. He's a neurotic headcase! I'd love to be able to say that what he did shocks me – but in all honesty – it doesn't!"

Kagome peered timidly at her cousin. "Inuyasha… he… he told me that you had tried to kill me. He said that you sent the Coalescence to kill me so you could steal Zero-G… and he saved me… from you."

"And you believed that bald-faced lie?" Kikyo whirled on her, almost angry to have been doubted. "Kagome – I am your _flesh _and _blood_! I would _die _for you! He probably only fed you that lie so he could control you better!"

Everything she was saying was making too much sense.

Their car peeled away from the traffic and into an underground car park. They pulled to a stop under the artificial pink glow of the lights, and then the engine went quiet. Kikyo turned to her younger cousin, grasping her arm to catch her gaze. "Kagome… look me in the eyes," she whispered. "Do I look like a killer to you?"

Inuyasha had said exactly the same thing a few nights ago. Kagome had believed him… but she also believed everything that Kikyo had just told her.

One of them was lying. But who could she trust? A total stranger who had inflicted nothing but pain and misery on her since she'd woken up to see his face… or the cousin who she'd known and loved since she was a child?

"Come on," Kikyo patted her arm and started to get out of the car. "We'll be safe here."

Kagome followed suit. "Where are we?"

"Regenis."

"Your office?"

"The security guards are to die for." Kikyo locked the car with a loud beep and took Kagome's hand to whisk her away towards the nearby elevator. Kagome stumbled along behind her, too confused and lost to bother resisting.

"It's ok. You're safe here." Kikyo kept reassuring her as they rode up in the elevator. Kagome nodded dumbly, eyes fixing on the dial above which told her how many floors they were zooming past. After what seemed like a small eternity, the elevator stopped on the 35th floor.

"_Door opening. Please be courteous," _a mechanical voice advised as Kikyo immediately stepped out of the lift, expecting people to either move or get shoved. Fortunately, she was recognised, and the crowd of people waiting to get into the elevator parted like the Red sea. Kagome tottered after… bewildered as ever.

She'd been to Regenis a few times in the past, and the only part of it that she recognised was how unbelievably classy the building seemed to be. Obviously, the styles had changed since her last visit in an effort to keep up with the fast changing trends. Severe contrasts of black, white and grey paint followed Kagome as she shuffled after Kikyo, and oddly shaped glass sculptures marked every turn in the corridor.

But what hacked Kagome off the most was the fact that she saw at least _ten _framed posters of "G-Force" on her way to Kikyo's office. It was perfectly reasonable to assume that Inuyasha had merely kidnapped her to get back at Kikyo. But how was her cousin supposed to explain away the existence of this new 'miracle' cream that just so happened to bear an uncanny resemblance to Kagome's 'miracle' cream?

"Here we are," Kikyo said, stopping outside a splendid door of frosted glass. "This is my office. We'll be safe to talk in here."

Kikyo's office was exactly as Kagome had expected it to be: orderly, neat and incredibly stylish. She was steered towards a soft leather settee in the corner of the room and told to wait there while Kikyo went to her desk. "Mariko," she said, pressing a button on her intercom. "Bring up a hot chocolate drink, would you? Marshmallows and extra cream, if possible."

_My favourite drink, _Kagome realised.

Another woman's voice crackled through the intercom. "_Yes, Ms Higurashi._"

"Thank you." Kikyo turned away again and moved to join Kagome on the leather settee. She smiled warmly, and squeezed Kagome's shoulder. "You look awfully stricken. Are you sure you're ok?"

"I'm fine." Kagome nodded woodenly, feeling anything but 'fine'. "I'm just… a little confused."

"Well, I'm not surprised." Kikyo sighed, sitting back. "Inuyasha's undoubtedly had plenty of time alone with you to screw with your head. He probably had you believing his lies, right?"

Kagome's mouth twisted as she tried to find a way to answer that question without offending her cousin.

"Don't worry. He's a smooth talker." Kikyo waved a hand airily. "It was years before I ever realised how screwed up he was, and by then it was too late to cut him loose. As you can see, he keeps coming back to me."

"Then why were you visiting him?" Kagome asked. "I was there when you came, Kikyo… it was _you _who came back to him."

"Every now and then I have to check on him, you know?" the young businesswoman responded with a slightly guilty expression. "He gets into trouble quite easily… I mean… he is one of _them_."

Kagome stared blankly. "One of who?"

Kikyo sighed as if she was about to depart with a devastating piece of news. "Kagome… Inuyasha is with the Coalescence."

* * *

When Inuyasha arrived home, he opened the door and stepped straight into a puddle of envelopes and leaflets that the postman had deposited for him. He was vaguely surprised that Kagome hadn't already picked it up and sorted through it… but perhaps the post had only arrived a few minutes ago.

"Kagome, I'm back!" he called through the flat as he stooped to collect his mail. There wasn't much of interest, he discovered as he flipped through them. Another bill from the landlord, a letter of complaint from a neighbour on the next floor about the noise of domestic arguments, and a few adverts for new porn channels. He eyed the latter thoughtfully before pulling a face and dumping them in the bin – bills and all. "Kagome, how about a cup of tea or something?"

When he was met by nothing but silence, Inuyasha began to grow a little suspicious. Was the lazy brat still in bed?

"Kagome?" He pottered up the stairs to take a peek into the bedroom, well aware that he would be belted around the head with the nearest blunt object if he was about to catch her getting dressed. But Kagome wasn't getting dressed. She wasn't in bed either. The bed was made, her clothes were gone and the window had been wrenched open to allow the fresh air inside.

Perhaps she had gone to the bathhouse again?

Feeling slightly bemused, if not a little lonely, Inuyasha toddled back downstairs and started hunting around the room to see if Kagome had thought to leave him a note. Knowing her sense of humour, it was likely that she had written it on the table in three foot letters

Something crunched beneath Inuyasha's foot as he passed the sink. He stopped and looked down at the mess of Kellogg's, milk and bowl fragments that lay strewn across the floor. A frown crinkled his brow. He crouched down and flicked one of the stray cornflakes with the tip of his claw - it was completely soggy.

This mess wasn't fresh.

But why would Kagome leave the flat after making such a mess? He _knew_ that she wasn't the type of girl to be flippant about these kinds of things, and he _knew_ that she wouldn't have left until she'd cleaned up the cereal.

Standing up, Inuyasha looked towards the door. Kagome's coat was gone, along with her shoes, meaning that she probably hadn't left in that much of a hurry… but… for some reason he couldn't shake the feeling that there was something terribly wrong about this situation.

No note, no shoes, no effort to clean up the mess on the kitchen floor… what had happened here?

Inuyasha set his jaw and strode across the room to the front door. He threw it open and, without caring to close it behind him, flew down the stairs leading to the foyer before running out onto the street. "Kagome!" he called, in case there was a slim chance that she was only nearby. "_Kagome!_"

He ran further along the pavement, using a hand to shield his eyes from the glare of the sun as he scoured the street for a sign of the dark-haired teenager. In one hopeful moment, he thought he spotted her sitting on a garden wall talking to an old woman who sat on a bench – she was even wearing the same dress as Kagome. But when he jerked her shoulder around to see her face, he discovered that she wasn't nearly as pretty as the girl he was looking for.

"Hey!" the girl screeched, fending off his hand. "Who do you think you are!"

"Have you seen Kagome?" he demanded, forgetting to apologise for his mistake.

The girl gave him a dirty look. "Who's Kagome?" she responded in the 'Do I look as if I care?' tone.

The old woman spoke up just as he was about to leave. "Isn't she the girl who nearly got run over yesterday?"

"Yes!" Inuyasha whirled on her. "Have you seen her? Which way did she go?"

"And aren't you the rude young man who got shot yesterday?" the old woman asked again.

"Yes – everything except the rude part – yes! Now did you see where the girl-?"

"The car," the pensioner interrupted, "that you fell out of yesterday. The girl – Kagome – she got into it with another woman who bore a remarkable resemblance to her."

Inuyasha's heart plummeted to the pavement.

"Relatives?" the woman guessed.

"Yeah…" the hanyou breathed, looking down the road and gauging how long it would take him to run all the way to Kikyo's office. "Thanks, old woman."

* * *

Kagome stared at the G-Force poster that had been framed on the wall behind Kikyo's desk. It was funny; she could hear Kikyo talking, but she couldn't seem to absorb her words. There was a dull roaring in her ears, her jaw tingled, and the letters on the poster were elongating and making strange patterns before her eyes.

_It's impossible_…

"Kagome, are you listening to me?" Kikyo gave her shoulder a light shake.

"No," the younger girl answered honestly.

Kikyo sighed. "He's been _lying _to you, Kagome. He's not just some random do-gooder who happened to be in the right place at the right time to save your life – he's a _terrorist_. He's an _insane_ terrorist, even. He's so obsessed with me that he'd go to lengths to get back at me – even if that means kidnapping my favourite cousin and brainwashing her."

_Have I been brainwashed? _Kagome thought with rising panic. She didn't _feel _brainwashed, but wasn't that usually how brainwashed victims felt.

Everything Kikyo had told her was making perfect sense. These little jobs that Inuyasha seemed preoccupied with – he couldn't possibly be telling the truth. What if that man who had suffered a heart attack in the pub hadn't just been a coincidence? Would that explain why Inuyasha was dressed so strangely? Almost as if he were in disguise? And what about that other time when he'd died his hair black, and she'd run into him in Riiza square? Was it also a coincidence that a bomb had gone off a few seconds beforehand?

A terrorist. It made perfect sense.

He was half demon. Why wouldn't he be in the Coalescence? Everyone knew that all demons were criminals. Being half a criminal still made a person a criminal.

_But… he was so kind to me_.

Had it all just been an act? A way to win her trust while behind his eyes he plotted far more devious and disgusting plans?

"You have a lot to think about, but you're safe now," Kikyo finally said after the silence had stretched on for too long. "I have to go make a call… so just sit tight and think things over while I'm gone."

There was a phone on her desk, so it confused Kagome that her cousin needed to leave the office in order to make the call. But perhaps she was calling the police and simply didn't want to upset Kagome any more than she was already.

Inuyasha was a terrorist. Yep. That made perfect sense.

Kagome had slept in the bed of a killer. She'd eaten the food he'd given her and drank the water. She'd used his money to buy herself clothes. She'd even used his bathroom.

She felt dirty.

_Everything he told me was probably a lie. All of it._

But…

Kagome lifted her head and looked over at the poster on the wall. There was no mistaking the similarity between Zero-G and G-Force. It was too much of a coincidence for Kagome to mysteriously drop dead, only to have her cousin suddenly invent a product that mimicked her own. The promises were the same – no wrinkles, invisible scars – the same things that Zero-G offered.

_The only difference is… G-Force probably smells like Coa-Coa butter…_ At least, according to the poster it did.

Closing her eyes, Kagome sighed. There was probably some rational explanation for all of this. Perhaps Kikyo was simply carrying on Kagome's work and planned to credit her in some form when the product had been deemed fit for a wider market? Kagome opened her eyes and squinted at the framed advert. What exactly did the small print say at the bottom? Maybe her name was mentioned there?

Kagome left her seat on the leather settee and moved around Kikyo's desk to take a closer look at the words printed on the poster. At the bottom there were several lines of tiny disclaimers and credentials, and the girl had to lift the frame off its hook in order to read it better.

_…product still in testing. Exclusive rights belong to Kikyo Higurashi of Regenis corp. Release dates are liable to change…_

There was nothing there about 'Kagome Higurashi' or her Grandmother. No dedications of 'in loving memory of my dead cousin'. This product was Kikyo's, and she was making sure that the world knew it for a fact.

Kagome made a point to ask her when she returned from her phone call. There probably _was _some other explanation that Kagome had overlooked… but she needed an answer.

Just as she was moving to set the poster back on its nail, Kagome noticed something that she had missed before. In the wall, just behind where the poster had been set, was a safe. The G-Force advert had been hiding it from view.

With a quick glance at the door to make sure Kikyo wasn't returning any time soon, Kagome set down the poster on the desk and stepped closer to examine the locking mechanism. Judging from the keypad, some sort of code was needed in order to open the safe… but Kagome didn't need too much time to dwell on what sequence it might be. Kikyo always used the same number.

"Two, eight, two, oh…" Why Kikyo always chose this number, Kagome wasn't sure. But it had been her locker code at school and her debit card's pin number.

Kagome remembered it easily because it was the only sequence of numbers that reminded her of the hoot of an owl. "Twit twoo…" she breathed as the safe's door sprung to. She pulled it open the rest of the way and peered inside.

What she saw was enough to convince her.

* * *

Kikyo carefully rearranged her hair as she headed back to her office. Honestly, it was rude enough to leave her to deal with a problem cousin all alone, but it was something else to not have his mobile switched on. She'd have to inform Naraku about the wonders of voice mail some time.

Meanwhile, Kikyo would have to continue spinning her elaborate lies to Kagome in order to get the girl to stay calm. Who knew how long it would be before Naraku dispatched someone to take care of the brat? There was even a chance that Kikyo would have to deal with Kagome on her own.

Kikyo wrinkled her nose. Killing someone was a rather messy and dangerous task. The only advantage she could see in her favour was that Kagome was already classed as dead, so there was no need to worry about the police coming to sniff around.

Composing herself, Kikyo put on her warmest smile and entered her office.

She stopped dead upon the sight of Kagome standing behind the desk with a silver gun pointed at her. On the desktop itself was the poster that Kikyo had been using to hide the safe, along with a dull, stained rock and an A5 blue notepad.

"You did it!" Kagome screamed hysterically, her hand shaking so badly that the clips inside the gun rattled. "You tried to kill me!"

* * *

**Fackyews (because I like 'em)**

**You know when you said Zero-G would only be 15 chapters long…?**

Yes. I lied.

**How do you pronounce 'vitamin' and 'mobile'?**

VIT – rhymes with 'bit' – A-MIN. And MO – rhymes with 'moe' – BILE – rhymes with… uh… 'bile'. But that's not british pronunciation, that's just a different pronunciation.

**Do you hate Americans?**

No. Love 'em to pieces. I've been to America twice and have found everyone to be wonderfully polite and openly friendly. British people seem like stuck-up, anal-retentive, overly- mistrusting rats compared to Americans. The food portions are fantastic and thanks to the economy, I get better value on Amazon-dot-com than Amazon-dot-co-dot-uk. The only thing I dislike is people giving me grief over doing things _slightly_ differently. These people may not even be American.

**Do you enjoy being rude and sarcastic to people?**

If you haven't realised by now that the Fackyews are just one big joke that isn't to be taken seriously… then you probably won't ever understand my sense of humour.

**You're incredibly witty… unless you spend ages trying to think of comebacks.**

Um… :five minutes later: I'll get back to you on that one…

**You sound like Ron Weasley! Oh no! Bad mental image/voice!**

Ever seen 'Absolutely Fabulous'? Try the sensible daughter's accent. Or, if you haven't seen Ab Fab, try 'Jonathon Creek' and look out for the blonde sidekick. If you haven't seen either… you're a poor deprived person.

**How old are you really? I find it hard to believe that you're only 17.**

Welp… can't help you there. I could be an unemployed thirty year old man who is still living with his mother. But we'll never know, will we?

**Will you marry me?**

Already married to the fine and bootylicious Midoriko-sama. We're so happy in fact, that we're renewing our wedding vows in Hawaii.

**What do you have against paedophiles?**

Other than the fact that, as a child, I was never allowed to walk home alone from school because paedophiles in green cars used to drive up and down the school road, pick out the solitary children, entice them into the cars with sweets, and then leave their bodies in motorway ditches…? Nah, I'm sure they're perfectly nice people once you get to know them. But excuse me if I'm a little prejudice.

**Isn't –kun only for men?**

Ding, ding! Already answered this question. Look back at the earlier fackyews, please. (Ok, let's make you're life easier: No, it's not only for men.)

**Why does it take you so long to update? Are you just a slow typer?**

I type at an average of 100 words a minute. It's not super-duper fast, but it ain't slow either. It takes me so long to update because – god forbid – I have a life to lead… or… just usher in some vague direction.

**How come you say 'let her mind wonder' instead of the right way 'let her mind WANDER'!**

Because it's a TYPO!

**How come Souta knows what a paedophile is? He's only ten.**

I knew what a paedophile was when I was ten. I know I'm a freak, but it's not unreasonable.

**Why do you have so many unfinished fics?**

I have a lot of unfinished things. Fics, picture, poems, symphonies, answers to questions. Honestly, I'm so lazy it's a wonder I ever write complete sentences or…


	16. Proverbs

**Author's Notes: **Tadaa! Back from the dead, among other places. Some things have changed since I posted the last chapter. I'm now 18, I have a new computer, and my mother cut my hair. Blame the delay of this chapter on the second issue. Please forgive me, and here's a new chapter to exonerate me. (haha, but you'll probably be cursing me seven thousand words from now)

* * *

**Zero-G**

**Chapter Fifteen**

**Proverbs**

If Kikyo had told her she was mistaken, Kagome would have believed her. If she had claimed that this had been a set-up by Inuyasha, Kagome would have laid down the gun and forgiven her.

But the only thing that passed Kikyo's lips was a sneer. "Oh, for goodness sake, Kagome," she tormented. "It was bad enough that you used to snoop around my room, but my office, too?"

Kikyo took a step forward, and Kagome's fingers tightened around the handle of the gun. She told herself that she was willing to do whatever was necessary to survive… but her index finger was nowhere near the trigger.

Calmly, Kikyo ignored her and took a seat beside the wide bay windows. She looked across at Kagome with a taunting smile. "Are you going to shoot me, cousin?"

Kagome swallowed hard. "You could have asked," she whispered, feeling her eyes sting with tears. "If you'd told me you wanted Zero-G, I would have shared it with you."

"I _did _ask, Kagome." Kikyo smoothed an eyebrow with her finger. "You said 'no', remember?"

"Yes – that's because you wanted to monopolise on Grandma's formula! If you'd told me that my other option was death, I would have handed it over to you." The gun was rattling again, and Kagome made a valiant effort to control her nerves; a rather hard task when everything was spinning beyond the normal scope of her sanity. "You had a choice, Kikyo. But you chose to take my life."

Kikyo shrugged apathetically. "It was easier."

Hot tears were building in her eyes, and Kagome blinked them away furiously. "But we're _family_! Doesn't that mean anything to you?"

"It means that we share grandparents." Kikyo rolled her eyes. "It's not that big a deal."

"We grew up together!"

"I grew up with a lot of people." The businesswoman shrugged again. "Come on, Kagome. Don't be so naïve. You denied me something that I needed… and it was unfortunate that your death was the only other option."

Kagome closed her eyes briefly in despair. "Naïve… because I trusted you."

"You shouldn't trust people so easily," Kikyo reprimanded. "There are a lot of bad people in the world these days."

"Yes, like you a-and Inuyasha," she stammered. "You only brought me here so you could kill me, right?"

"Ah. Not so dumb, I see." Kikyo folded her arms with a sly smile. "But you did make it a little too easy for me, Kagome. You're not only naïve but incredibly gullible as well."

Another wave of tears slipped down her cheeks unchecked, and Kagome looked at her cousin in bewilderment. Didn't this woman understand anything? Kagome had only believed her because she'd _wanted _to believe her. If Kikyo could be trusted, it meant that her life wasn't such a lost cause after all. She should have known that it was too good to be true.

"It's not naïve to love someone and believe in them," Kagome said, her voice trembling as badly as her hands. "But I think I knew all along. You never convinced me that you were honest… I only made excuses for you. Don't you realise how cruel you are?"

"Cruel?" Kikyo blinked in genuine surprise. "I am anything but cruel, Kagome. I could have poisoned you slowly – made it look like a natural death whilst having you die in utter agony. I could have made it look like suicide. I could even have made you die in the most humiliating manner imaginable… but no." The young woman stood up and moved closer to the window, regardless of Kagome's jerky aim. "You died young and beautiful. People will always remember you for the pretty fifteen year old you were – even fifty years from now. And people were moved by your death. You rose awareness of petty muggings, and you've probably even saved a few girls' lives as a result. I gave you the best death you could ever had wished-"

"_But I didn't want to die!_" Kagome screamed. "It was my life – my choice! You took my choice away!"

"Because you were being selfish."

"Oh – _I _was being selfish!"

"There are two types of people in this world, sweetie." Kikyo looked out of the window to the streets below. "There are the people down there: the nobodies. They'll never amount to anything, they'll never make a difference, and they certainly don't cause tidal waves when they die. Then there are the people like me who rise above the rest, set an example, and _make a difference_. Society needs me more than it needs you. You're just fodder. Why can't you understand that?"

The bile rose in Kagome's throat. "You're insane."

"I'm being honest," Kikyo told her seriously. "Only a few people succeed in this corrupt world. You have no idea of what I've had to go through to get where I am today. Do you have any idea about the people I had to sleep with? The people I had to terminate? _That _is how you succeed in this world. Honour and duty have gone out of fashion, and I _won't _be left behind."

"You're wrong," Kagome whispered. Kikyo _had _to be wrong. Corruption _didn't_ rule this country.

"Oh, stop it. I'm right, and you know it." Kikyo admonished her shortly. "This country has changed – and none of it has been for the better. Rapists and murderers roam the streets unchecked while petty graffiti artists are given life sentences. The police pick up random demons from their bolt holes and interrogate them about the Coalescence, refusing to release them until they 'confess' enough evidence to imprison them. The death penalty is coming back next month… how many demons do you think will survive after that?"

Kagome refused to speak. She simply stared at her cousin listlessly.

"The economy has been shot to hell, too." Kikyo folded her arms in thought. "The price of a simple meal is almost twice as much as the cost of a day's rent. People sleep on the streets because they need the money for food, but without a home, they have no job, and without a job, they have no income. With no income, they have no food. People are starving to death on our doorsteps, but no one cares. No one wants to stand out and be different by helping these people."

"No… no!" Kagome shook her head fiercely. "This is because of the Coalescence! They've forced the terror on us – the government is acting in our best interests! It's for our own good!"

"It's for _their_ good," sighed Kikyo, rolling her eyes. "Where do you think all the money goes anyway? To charity? No – it goes to _them_. They have their money and their cushy lifestyles delivered to them on a silver platter whilst people like me have to fight a constant battle to get the same kind of respect and treatment."

"No one respects a murderer!" Kagome cried in outrage.

Kikyo laughed. "This world does. Look around you, for heaven's sake! This is an imperfect world, and in an imperfect world the good people don't last. If you'd been more like me, Kagome, we could have struck a deal and gained fortune together. But alas…"

Kikyo was moving towards her, and Kagome quickly stepped back to keep the distance between them. "Stop it!" she shouted. "If you come any closer, I'll shoot you."

"_Sure_, you will." The older woman sneered, evidently not believing a word of it.

But before she could reach Kagome, the intercom crackled. "Miss Kikyo. Someone called Kouga is here to see you."

Kikyo's smiles never wavered. "Ah. The Coalescence must have gotten my message," she said quietly and strolled towards her desk.

Kagome's hands tightened around the gun. "Don't answer that! I mean it!"

Kikyo ignored her and pressed the speaker button on the intercom. "Send him up, Mariko."

"Yes, Miss Kikyo."

"Well," Kikyo flourished, turning around to lean on her desk with her arms folded. "Any speeches you want to give? You have about one minute left to live."

Kagome clenched her teeth together. "I _won't _let you kill me," she hissed. "I have the gun."

"Yes, but there's only one bullet in that gun." Kikyo pointed out. "You can wait until Kouga arrives and shoot him with a fifty-fifty chance of killing him outright… or you can shoot me and guarantee my death." Kikyo smirked again to see the hesitation in Kagome's whole demeanour. "If you were smart, you would shoot me now and make a run for it before he arrives."

A clammy finger moved in front of the trigger, but that was all Kagome was brave enough to do. Her mind simply wasn't ready to act the way she needed to.

"Surprise, surprise," Kikyo mocked her. "You're still too stupid to save yourself."

_If I shoot her, I'll be no better than she is, _Kagome realised. But what choice was there? She was surrounded by Kikyo's people, and an assassin was about to arrive any second now. The driving instinct for survival was telling her to waste no time in using her weapon to make her escape… but her heart was still looking for the next excuse to explain away this bizarre turn of events.

Any minute now a hidden camera crew was bound to pop out of the closet waving banners and screaming "Fooled you!". But that didn't seem likely to happen as a painful silence covered the room like an awkward blanket. Kagome swallowed hard and wondered how many seconds she had left to live. "It's not stupid," she whispered shakily, "to love my cousin."

Kikyo gave a brief laugh, as if too lazy to bother with a more enthusiastic sound. "You're not cut out for this world, Kagome. If you didn't die by my hand, you would have died by someone else's a few years from now. That's just the way it is."

The door behind Kagome opened with a soft click, and a cold feeling washed through her body, leaving her numb. Someone stepped into the room, and Kagome's spine tingled with awareness. Her time was up. Caught in between two enemies, she looked across at Kikyo, expecting to see a sneer of triumph… but instead, she saw a snarl.

It seemed that Kikyo wasn't too pleased at the person who had just entered the room behind Kagome. "What the _hell _do you think you're playing at!" she hissed.

A warm hand touched Kagome's shoulder gently, and instantly she knew why Kikyo was so livid. Whoever Kouga was, he'd not come. This was Inuyasha behind her, and this was Inuyasha's hand against her shoulder.

A lump lodged in the girl's throat as she fought for the proper response to this situation. Was he a friend or an enemy? Had Kikyo been lying when she'd said he was in the Coalescence? Or was that just the truth, too painful to need any more fabrication?

"Kagome," she heard him whisper as his thumb traced a small circle against her shoulder-blade. "It's ok. You can put the gun down."

Kikyo scoffed loudly. "I don't believe this," she said haughtily and folded her arms. She glared at Kagome and the man behind her. "I was right about you. You really are a traitor!"

Inuyasha's hand tightened on Kagome's shoulder, and she knew that her cousin had struck a nerve in him. But Kagome couldn't comply with either of them. There was just something so wrong with the situation, and she knew that the moment her guard dropped, she would be dead.

"Kagome… please?" the hanyou asked again.

The tears threatened to spill once more, but Kagome refused to submit. "I don't negotiate with terrorists," she hissed between her clenched teeth.

Inuyasha must have looked shocked, because at that moment, Kikyo chuckled at his expense. "Yes, that's right. She knows," she murmured, clearly rubbing it in for her own enjoyment. "I told her only a few moments ago."

The limp hand dropped from her shoulder. "How much do you know?"

"Oh, there's a few things that she's still not aware of." Kikyo winked at him. "Yet. Luckily for you."

Kagome heard the hanyou heave a sigh behind her before he slowly moved around to stand in front of her. He deliberately positioned himself between the weapon and Kikyo, forcing Kagome to meet his glassy, distant eyes. He looked as if the world had just come crashing down around him. But Kagome didn't sympathise. "What are you doing?" she asked quietly.

"I won't let you kill her," he responded slowly, almost apologetically.

"Right." She sucked in a breath as if to try and inhale more confidence. "But it's alright if she kills me?"

Inuyasha closed his eyes briefly before holding out his hand to her. "She's not worth it." His voice was barely above a whisper, and only Kagome could hear him. "She's not worth living through the guilt for."

His words hit home, and Kagome flinched. She couldn't possibly kill anyone… let alone her own family; not unless she wanted to carry around the remorse for the rest of her life, however short it would be.

_Oh, what difference does it make? _Kagome wondered, feeling all the anger and fear ebbing away under a new tide of exhaustion. _I'm dead whatever I do… at least I can go with a clear conscience._

She never once took her eyes off Inuyasha as her arm slackened and the gun hung limply from her fingers. He took the weapon slowly, his warm touch brushing against her cold hands as if to say '_It'll be alright.'_

How could this man possibly be a terrorist? A _murderer?_ Maybe Kikyo was wrong, and she _could _trust Inuyasha. He had helped her until now, hadn't he? Why would he do that if he were in league with Kikyo? And surely no criminal could smile the way Inuyasha was smiling as he squeezed her shoulder. When he chucked her chin with his finger, Kagome couldn't help but give him a shy smile in response. With Inuyasha here for her, a shred of normality had presented itself, and Kagome grasped it tightly, refusing to let go. Even though Kikyo had betrayed her and her life seemed to be falling to pieces before her eyes, Inuyasha was there for her, and that was all she needed. She _needed_ to trust him. She'd lose her sanity if she couldn't.

"My god, I think I'm actually going to be sick." Kikyo scorned as she sat down at her desk. "You take it too far, Inuyasha. Don't you realise the danger you've put yourself in?"

Kagome watched as the hanyou lowered his hand from her chin to clench by his side. A muscle twitched in his jaw, and he glared at the ground. She'd never seen him so angry before.

"But even I can see the delicious irony," Kikyo went on, chuckling to herself. "You're protecting her. _You_! Honestly, you crack me up sometimes, Inuyasha. Out of all the people you chose to save… it had to be the one who'd cause you the most trouble, didn't it?"

Inuyasha's eyes shot up to meet Kagome's questioning gaze. The girl wasn't sure she understood where Kikyo was going with this new barb.

"I should have known better than to use a soft-hearted fool like you," Kikyo went on, her smile as wide as a cat who'd cornered her mouse. "I told you to kill her, not keep her-"

Inuyasha turned and shot Kikyo clean in the chest.

The bullet rang loud and clear in the air, silencing Kikyo's words so effectively that she didn't even have time to blink in surprise. The chair tilted back from the force of the blow, and Kikyo fell with it; an arrogant smile still marred her face. She lifted a hand to her chest as if trying to touch her heart, but the gesture quickly died when she hit the floor and slid into a boneless heap behind her desk.

Inuyasha lowered the gun and stared glassily at the spinning wheels of the fallen chair, waiting until they stopped moving before daring to breathe again. Behind him, Kagome stood tense and silent. They both waited for the other to make the first move, neither able to tear their gaze away from Kikyo's body. Inuyasha's heart pounded in his ears, a slow strum of blood that told him it wasn't only his mind feeling sluggish. He was sure that he could almost pick up Kagome's heart - a faint pattering sound that raced much faster than his own.

Finally, Kagome moved. Inuyasha almost flinched as the girl moved around him, heading for the desk. Her steps were slow, and her face was a perfect mask of calm, but her trembling hands betrayed her true shock as she bent over the desk to regard Kikyo's body more closely.

_Perhaps she'll understand?_

Inuyasha watched her closely, trying to decide what she would do next.

_Maybe she can forgive me?_

Without warning, Kagome swung around to face him. She threw all her strength and momentum into the bloodstained rock clutched in her fist and slammed it as hard as she could against his head. A constellation of stars seemed to burst behind Inuyasha's eyes, blinding him for a moment as he staggered away, clutching his brow. He was astonished to feel a small trickle of blood work its way down to the corner of his right eye.

She'd made him bleed?

It was an amazing feat for such a small person, but he probably deserved it.

Kagome stopped a moment to acknowledge the injury she'd inflicted, but then she came at him again without restraint. This time, Inuyasha was quicker. He caught her wrist and sent her flying backwards with one hard push. He hadn't meant to do it so forcefully, but her silent aggression scared him, and he was finding it difficult to control his strength. The rock dropped from Kagome's hand as she skidded across the room until the wall stopped her, but no small groan of pain or gasp of protest ever escaped her lips. She simply crouched beneath the window with her forehead pressed to the carpet, her whole body shuddering with each jarred breath she took.

Closing his eyes, Inuyasha made a silent prayer to anyone listening. He'd screwed up spectacularly… and he could only see one way to fix it.

"I never should have saved you," he told the quivering girl. "And I regret it… but I'm glad as well."

"I don't care," Kagome said weakly, refusing to lift her head. "Whatever you're going to do, please just do it. I don't care anymore."

Another trickle of blood leaked down Inuyasha's forehead as he stared at her, wishing that he could somehow rewind the day and stop all this from happening. No one would have been hurt if he'd managed to prevent this… but perhaps it was only inevitable?

However, it was too late to save the situation. His only choice was to bury it and keep moving as he'd been doing for most of his life. Now wasn't the time to get sentimental; not when his life depended on it.

But it was far more difficult than he'd anticipated to lift the gun and aim at Kagome's helpless form. He felt sick, but it had to be done. _It's either you or her… it's not a difficult choice_, he told himself, even whilst struggling to decide which was right. _She has no future anyway. Even if you let her live and escape, it will only be a matter of time before your friends kill her._

Sweat mingled with the blood on his face, and he wiped it away distractedly. It had never been this hard before…

He had to stop worrying and just get it over with; he could make time later to fret and rage over his actions.

Inuyasha closed his eyes tightly, trying to take himself out of the tense room he'd found himself in. While his hand aimed the weapon, his mind was distancing itself, already trying to refuse the responsibility of what he was doing. The world beyond the windows of the office seemed to go quiet as he squeezed the trigger lightly, like it was waiting with baited breath for his next move.

_Click._

The gun clip was empty.

An unapologetic rush of relief swept through Inuyasha so suddenly that he felt his knees almost buckle under its strength. The air he'd been holding hostage in his lungs was released in a loud rush as he dropped the gun onto the carpet, not giving it a second thought. He pressed his hands over his face, wondering why his whole body felt so weak and unstable. The roaring in his ears was now deafening.

Kagome interrupted the tense silence. "You'll have to do it with your fists."

Lowering his hands, Inuyasha looked down at the trembling girl. She'd pushed herself upright, leaning heavily against the wall as if she could sink right through it. There were tears staining her face, making her flushed cheeks shine and her eyes appear unusually dark. Her skirt had ridden up as well – so far that Inuyasha could easily glimpse the white cloth of her underwear. Kagome didn't seem to care how she appeared to him at that very moment.

Giving a soft, short laugh, Inuyasha looked down at the gun by his feet. "You're probably the luckiest girl on this planet."

A poorly suppressed sob rose up from Kagome like a choke of pain. "Don't you dare say that to me!" she ground out venomously as her eyes brimmed with unshed tears. "Not after what you've done to me! To her!" She threw a trembling hand out to where Kikyo lay, unmoving. "You're just a monster! Nothing but a malicious beast!"

Inuyasha shrugged helplessly. "I'm sorry," he told her quietly. "That's just the way I am."

The door behind Inuyasha opened, and he heard a woman's sharp gasp of horror. He turned instantly to face the intruder, quickly running through every excuse he'd ever used in a situation like this. "Quick, call an ambulance!" he told the woman who appeared to be holding a mug of hot chocolate in her hands. "She just collapsed!"

"Oh my god," she whispered, her fingers slackening to let the hot drink spill onto the carpet. "Oh my god," she said again, then disappeared back out into the corridor, presumably to find help.

When Inuyasha turned around again, Kagome had also vanished. Behind Kikyo's desk, the door to an adjoining office was slowly swinging back and forth.

"_Shit!_" the hanyou cursed beneath his breath and shot after the girl, hurling himself through the door and the empty office behind it.

He spotted her in the corridor, running remarkably fast for a human girl. She looked back once to see him giving chase, but not again. Adrenalin was her fuel, and she wasn't wasting a drop of it as she streaked towards the elevators, dodging around anyone who stepped into her path. Inuyasha wasn't nearly as courteous as he shoved aside any unlucky bystanders that crossed him.

Ahead of them, the elevator doors opened with a tranquil 'ping' and several listless employees filed out. Kagome hurled herself through them, running so hard that she had to throw up her hands to prevent herself from hitting the mirror at the back of the elevator. When she turned around, her eyes were wild and frightened. Her fist pummelled the panel of buttons beside her, but her gaze never left Inuyasha. She seemed too scared to look away from him.

"_Door's closing. Please step away,"_ the bland mechanical voice of the elevator warned when he was only a few metres from it "No!" he called, pushing recklessly through the throng of people that surrounded the elevator. "Kagome, don't!"

But his hands ran up against the cold metal panels of the elevator doors, and he felt the vibrations of the elevator beginning to move behind them. He swore again and made a dash for the stairs.

There was no way an elevator could outrun him to the ground floor.

* * *

Kagome's heart was pounding almost painfully in her chest. The elevator was moving and Inuyasha was no longer behind her; that was all that mattered. Where the elevator was going was a mystery; she'd been hitting every button at random.

"_Thirty ninth floor,"_ the elevator announced pleasantly as it began to slow down. "_Doors opening. Please be courteous._"

The doors peeled back to reveal an empty corridor. Kagome peeked out cautiously, half-expecting Inuyasha to come leaping out of one of the offices at any moment. Of course, this was hardly the place she wanted to be. She wanted to get out of the building as fast as possible and make a run for the nearest police station. She'd finally had enough of listening to the hanyou, as it had become rather obvious that they weren't sharing the same interests anymore. They never had.

"_Doors closing_," the elevator told her, and Kagome realised that the next stop was the ground floor. Inuyasha would no doubt be waiting for her there.

Hastily, she slipped through the narrowing gap between the doors and clutched her arms across her chest. She felt strangely exposed and paranoid that danger was lurking in every room along the corridor.

_What do I do?_ she asked herself anxiously as she peered around the vacant hall. _Inuyasha will be waiting at the entrance for me, so how can I possibly escape from here without him…?_

Kagome could have slapped herself. Kikyo wasn't the type of person to own a building that had no fire escapes!

A pang of grief speared her heart at the mere thought of her cousin. She honestly hated Kikyo with every fibre of her being, but fifteen years of unconditional love was hard to erase. Kagome had never intended to harm Kikyo, even after all she'd done. She only wanted her life back.

As the girl chewed over her thoughts, she began following the signs for the fire escape. They led her into the stairwell and up three more flights of stairs until her path was blocked by a large steel door with the words "Fire Exit" marked across it. Kagome shoved the bar down and flew out onto the roof without a moment's hesitation. The shrill ringing of the fire alarm startled her, but she ignored it as she scanned the roof, trying to find the way down whilst still expecting Inuyasha to appear behind her.

Whatever she'd felt for that man, be it gratitude, friendship, or even admiration, it had gone. Fear and humiliation spurned through every bone, muscle, and sinew as she ran on, aiming for the metal steps that lead down to the car park.

What was she thinking, trusting a stranger so easily? Perhaps he had been right about Kikyo being a nasty piece of work, but evidently birds of a feather flocked together. She should have questioned him more deeply. Should have demanded to know how he'd met Kikyo, how they'd gotten involved, and how he knew all these things about the Coalescence. He was a terrorist, a murderer, and a liar, and he had killed her cousin.

_But it's virtually my own fault! _Kagome thought despairingly as she stumbled and slipped her way down the steep staircase. She gripped the rail for all she was worth; it was a long way to fall if she lost her footing completely. _If I hadn't picked up the gun, he never would have gotten the chance to use it!_

There was a dead weight of misery on her shoulders, coupled with the fear that pushed her from behind, urging her on even though she had no idea where she was running to. She found herself in the car park with the fire alarms still ringing in the building behind her. Kagome wondered where Inuyasha was, and whether or not anyone would find Kikyo in the hindrance of an evacuation.

The thought of Kikyo made her want to stop and go back. What if she was still alive, and Kagome was just abandoning her? But if she went back, Inuyasha would find her… and she didn't know what to expect if he got her alone. Would he try and kill her again? No, she wouldn't take that chance. She had to keep moving.

Behind the car park was a park, cut off from Kagome by a tall, chain link fence. Barbed wire lined the top, and it cut cruelly into Kagome's hands and legs as she climbed over to drop down on the other side. Her dress had been snagged and ripped, but she pressed on, ignoring the pain of her cuts and grazes as she dashed through archways of trees.

A few people were in the park at that hour, and they stopped and stared as Kagome rushed past, wondering why she was in such a state. She ran through a playground where several small children were playing on a roundabout, and then on past the pond where a group of teenage boys were loitering around a bench. "What's the hurry, babe?" they jeered as she shot past them. Once upon a time she would have been a little intimidated, but today she swore that if any one of them tried to stop her, she would shove them straight into the water without a second thought.

She would have made it all the way through the park and out into the town beyond if the girl in grey hadn't stepped out in front of her, as if from nowhere. Kagome collided into her with a gasp and was sent tumbling to the grass as easily as a rag doll. The girl she'd knocked into seemed perfectly fine, as if Kagome was nothing more than a feather. "Are you alright?" she asked Kagome, crouching down to help her up. From her casual sweatpants and grubby trainers, Kagome guessed she was a jogger. "Sorry, I didn't see you there. I'm afraid I'm very absent when I have these earphones in. Are you hurt?"

"It's ok, I'm fine." But Kagome was winded, and it took her a moment before she could even think about sitting up. When she took the hand the jogger offered, she hesitated slightly. The girl's hands were severely battered, and as Kagome's eyes trailed to her face, she realised that her hands weren't the only assaulted part of her body. Dark rings of bruises circled her eyes, and scabs of a recent injury marred her cheeks and lower lip.

The girl noticed her stare and smiled grimly. "Don't worry, you didn't do it. I just had a bad fall last week."

Kagome flushed. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to…"

"I'd stare too if I was looking at this face." The girl helped Kagome to her feet and looked concerned when she swayed slightly. "Are you sure you're ok?"

"F-fine." Kagome glanced over her shoulder anxiously, beginning to feel impatient with the interruption. "I just need to go – I'm sorry – and thank you-"

"Wait!" The girl's hand caught her sleeve, and she unplugged the earphones from her ears. "You seem a little shaken. Are you sure you're ok?"

"I'm fine," Kagome repeated. "I just need to go."

"Are you in some kind of trouble?" A look of genuine concern crossed the girl's beaten face.

Kagome took a deep breath, deciding that if it was exactly the opposite of what Inuyasha would tell her to do, then she'd do it. "Yes, actually. I-I need to find a police station or something." Then she couldn't stop herself as everything inside her loosened. The lump of tears she'd been holding in her throat dissolved, and they spilled freely down her cheeks as the secrets she'd kept since Inuyasha had kidnapped her came surging forth. "I'm Kagome Higurashi. My cousin tried to kill me by sending the Coalescence after me, but they failed, and now my cousin is dead, and I'm sure Inuyasha wants me dead as well because he knows I can expose him as a member of the Coalescence, so I have to find the police and tell them and find my family and tell them as well."

She rushed on to explain everything. How Kikyo had wanted the formula for Zero-G, and how Inuyasha had been keeping her locked in a tiny apartment, telling her that he was protecting her. She told the bemused looking girl about Kikyo's relationship with Inuyasha, and how Kikyo had just attempted to kill her, but had wound up dead herself.

As she rattled on, almost unintelligibly when the tears overwhelmed her voice, the girl slowly turned her mp3 player off and wrapped the earphones around it. She slipped it into the pocket of her jumper before withdrawing something else that interrupted Kagome's outburst.

A police badge.

"I'm Sergeant Sango Hara."

Kagome's heart soared, even though the name rung an ominous bell in the back of her mind. "Please!" She grasped the young woman's hands. "Please, you have to help me."

"Your accusations are quite serious," the policewoman frowned slightly. "I can take you down to the station now and have someone assigned to the case, if you'd like?"

Kagome nodded quickly. "Yes, I need that, thank you."

Perhaps here was where her life began to regain its balance again?

"My car's this way." Sango Hara started to lead her away.

It struck Kagome as rather odd that someone would have brought a car when they intended to jog. But then again, she simply may have wanted to jog around the park rather than around her block, so Kagome wasn't too concerned. However, 'Sango Hara' was a name that still rang familiar… she just couldn't remember where she'd heard it before.

The car was parked along the pavement outside the park gates, but at an odd angle as if Sango had parked in a hurry. But again, there was not much call for alarm… unless she turned out to be a bad driver as her parking might indicate.

The third thing that struck another apprehensive knot in Kagome's thoughts was how nice the car was. It was new, expensive, and not a speck of dust marked its paint job. The interior was just as clean and the 'new car' smell still clung to the leather seats. There was nothing in the pockets of the doors: no maps, no letters that needed posting, no shopping lists. There were no sweet wrappers around Kagome's feet, no spare change for parking metres, and there was still paper lining the floor behind Kagome's seat.

Very odd.

Kagome frowned deeply as she snapped her seatbelt in place. _Sango Hara… I'm sure I've heard it on the news or something_.

Then it hit her.

Kagome glanced at the police officer with startled eyes. "Wait – aren't you the Chief of Police's daughter?" Kagome asked, knowing as she said it that it was too much of a coincidence to be wrong. "I thought you were killed by the Coalescence."

Sango seemed to be ignoring her as she pulled a bag from the backseat into her lap. Kagome followed her movements with mounting trepidation. "What are you doing?"

"I'm sorry, I really, truly am." Sango said quietly as she pulled a bottle and swab of old cloth from the bag.

Kagome's hand moved like lightening to unhook herself from the belt and escape from the car, but Sango was faster, and the younger girl soon found she had been locked inside. She whipped back to face Sango, not understanding why this was happening or how, but knowing that she was prepared to fight for her life if necessary.

However, Sango was strong. She pushed Kagome's resisting arms down and pinned her against the back of the seat, pressing the cloth against her mouth until all Kagome could smell and breathe were bitter tasting vapours. They invaded her lungs like pinpricks, paralysing her from the inside out. Her vision swam, and her body fell asleep moments before her mind did the same.

When it was over and Sango was sure the girl was fully unconscious, she sat back and packed the chloroform away again. She plucked her phone from her pocket and hastily dialled. As it rung out, she looked at the girl in dismay, shaking her head slightly as she guiltily flicked a lock of hair between her fingers.

The ring tone ended. "Did you get her?" a voice asked her shortly.

Sango ground her teeth. "Yeah."

"Good. Bring her to me."

Sango snapped her phone shut angrily and threw it behind her. "I hate you," she muttered as she threw the car into first gear and took off down the street.

* * *

Kikyo awoke to the irritating sensation that someone was drilling a hole in her head with a jackhammer. It was a few seconds before she realised the jackhammer was really the sound of the fire alarm going off.

Heaving a groan of pain, she sat up and began unbuttoning her jacket. A single bullet fell out into her lap as she peeled her flimsy bullet-proof vest out of the way to examine her chest.

A nasty purple and red bruise was spreading over her left breast, and by the feel of it, she could almost bet that she had suffered a broken rib or two. That was the drawback of modern vests. They were thinner and easier to disguise, but although they did their job by stopping bullets, they didn't always absorb much of the impact.

_That's what I get for sacrificing practicality for appearance_,she thought wryly.

Kikyo had been wearing the vest for nearly three weeks, ever since attempts had been made on her life by the rival cosmetic companies. She'd chosen to wear the thinner vest, knowing that the conventional vest would tarnish her image of 'slim and gorgeous'.

But still, broken ribs and an ugly bruise weren't particularly attractive or practical features either, as she discovered when hauling herself up from the floor to pull the phone from her desk. She slowly and meticulously dialled Naraku's number and rested her back against the floor as she waited for him to pick up. It didn't take long.

"Why, hello, Kikyo. What can I do for you?" his smooth voice inquired charmingly.

A sour smile twisted Kikyo's lips. "You'll never guess who just charged into my office and shot me," she rasped.

But Naraku could guess, and neither of them had to say anything for him to understand the situation. Naraku's end went deadly quiet.

"I told you," Kikyo said, giving a pained cough. "He's gone to the bad, that boy."

* * *

The first indication that things weren't going Inuyasha's way was when the fire alarm went off. The hanyou stood in the foyer of Kikyo's office block, looking around intently as hoards of workers and employees came pouring out of every crook and cranny to escape the building. There was little doubt in Inuyasha's mind that Kagome had tripped the alarm, deliberately or otherwise, and he knew that there was a possibility that she had outsmarted him and taken another route out of the building. Panicky minds were easier to predict and control, but Kagome was always surprising him.

He would have liked to carry on searching for her, to ensure that she was safe and that she wouldn't go running straight to the police to give the game away, but Naraku's message cut his afternoon short.

"Meet me by the tube station. It's urgent."

Inuyasha didn't question the order. His shoulders sagged slightly as he left Kikyo's building and flagged down the next passing taxi. It was another matter of threatening the driver and kicking out the previous passenger to get to the tube station, but his heart wasn't in it as he absently waved his knife at the back of the man's head. He was dropped off beside the fountain he'd been waiting beside earlier, and the taxi took off as if the driver had dropped a brick on the accelerator.

Typically, there was no one waiting for him outside the station, just like before. The only difference now was that the area was virtually empty. Rush hour had ended, and the workers had gone home, leaving only a scant few shoppers in their wake. The sun was fading behind the clouds, and a cool breeze had picked up, rustling through his hair. The hanyou scowled slightly, feeling that, since this morning, his day had slowly spun out of control, and he was teetering on the very edge of an abyss. He couldn't see over the edge, but he knew that one wrong step now would send him over.

After five minutes of waiting for Naraku's 'urgent' business, Inuyasha grew concerned. Perhaps he hadn't meant for Inuyasha to wait beside the fountain, but to wait on the subway platform instead? There wasn't much harm in checking, just in case, so Inuyasha shoved his hands into his pockets and made his way down to the underground station.

There were only two platforms to choose from, and they faced each other across a set of rail tracks that disappeared into two tunnels on either end of the station. Inuyasha stood behind the painted yellow line on Platform 1, peering around in utter confusion.

Three other people stood on the platform with him, two of them reading newspapers and the third busy listening to his earphones. When the next train came along, they wedged themselves aboard a crowded carriage before it took off, disappearing down one of the black tunnels. Inuyasha watched it leave with a perplexed frown as he realised he was alone on the platform and Naraku had yet to appear.

A cold breeze blew through the station, scraping empty packets of crisps along the concrete platform and sending a stray page from a newspaper down onto the tracks. Inuyasha's ears pricked as a deep rumble sounded from the tunnel to his right, but no train emerged. The station was completely empty… and it put Inuyasha on edge.

"Hum," he said, trying to break the stiff silence that surrounded him, but like ice it broke and froze over again, colder than ever and making him feel twice as isolated as before.

Scratching the back of his head, Inuyasha moved to sit down on a vacant plastic seat under the severe glow of a florescent light. Anyone would think it was midnight on a weekday for all the activity around the station, or else they would assume it had been closed down.

Something was terribly wrong here.

_Have I got the wrong station?_

Almost in answer to his question, his phone began to shudder and ring in his pocket. The number was unknown to him, but he answered it anyway. "Hello?"

There was a long pause on the other end. "Do you like proverbs, Inuyasha?"

It wasn't Naraku, or Kouga, or anyone else that he knew, and the question caught him off guard. "What?" He pulled a face and sat up, looking around warily. "Who is this?"

"There's an old Irish proverb that I think you'd like," the anonymous caller told him.

Somewhere behind Inuyasha, a door slammed shut. The hanyou sprang up from his seat and peered up the stairs that led to street level, but daylight was no longer visible, and the doors had been bolted shut.

Dread crawled down Inuyasha's spine as the florescent tubes of light above his head began flickering. Another distant rumble billowed forth from the tunnels, setting his teeth on edge. "Who _is _this!" he demanded more forcefully.

"Why don't you ask the people behind you?"

Inuyasha turned slowly to face the other platform, his blood running cold as he did so. His fingers tightened around the phone, and automatically he reached for his knife. Normally this wasn't the kind of reaction he exhibited upon seeing the three other members of his cell, but these weren't normal circumstances.

Kouga, Bankotsu, and Jakotsu stood across from him carrying various types of weapons that ranged from simple daggers to overblown knives that were so long they could have been classed as swords. Their eyes weren't friendly or welcome, but the feeling was mutual. The only man present who dared smile was Kouga. "I'm _so_ going to enjoy this," he heard the wolf mutter.

"Can you guess what's happening, Inuyasha?" his caller asked evenly.

Inuyasha swallowed hard, refusing to answer just in case this was simply one large bluff. He didn't dare say anything to incriminate himself. "I don't understand. Who are you?"

"I'm the leader of the Coalescence," the man responded. "You should be honoured. I don't often waste my time with small fry like you. But you _have _been making a reputation for yourself lately."

Now Inuyasha really didn't understand. As far as he was concerned, _Naraku _was the leader of the Coalescence, but this man was clearly not the boss he had been obeying for the last ten years. He didn't dare take his eyes off his comrades as he whispered into the phone, "If this is about the Higurashi girl, I can explain-"

"This has nothing to do with her or Kikyo Higurashi," was the blunt response.

A nasty feeling settled in Inuyasha's chest, constricting his breathing. "If you're my boss, then I've been lied to."

"Yes," the man conceded, "but no more than you have been lying to us."

Anger unfurled in his belly, making his fists clench. "I see."

"You're the weak link in our chain, Inuyasha," he was told. "You have to be removed if we are to survive. And as the proverb goes, 'You cannot run with the hares and hunt with hounds.' I'm sure you understand what that means."

"Perfectly." Inuyasha closed his eyes in despair.

"Then I suggest you start running."

_

* * *

_

**_Fackyews. Because you're worth it._**

**I'm British, from Essex. Where are you from?**

Manchester, and am now living in a little town just outside Wales, but strangely, most of my favourite relatives live in Essex.

**Do you say 'Shite' instead of 'Shit'?**

As a matter of fact… I do…

**This chapter is too short.**

Um… sorry?

**Why are Brits so looked down upon?**

Most likely because we're so damn short.

**100 words a minute… you could write a whole chapter in an hour! You could write a whole story in two days!**

Yes, but for most of my writing time, I stare off into space a lot. After careful research I've discovered that I roughly spend one minute writing for every twenty minutes I spend thinking about writing.

**Ahah! I get to see Howl's Moving Castle before you!**

I shall kill you, steal your life and watch the film. Then we'll see who's laughing!

(sidenote: if you don't know what Howl's Moving Castle is, I urge you to go out right now and order the book off Amazon. It's by Diana Wynne Jones, who, IMHO, outclasses Mrs Rowling by far.)

**How's your dog? Didn't you get one a while back?**

He's fine. He has an insatiable appetite for junk food and tends only to obey when he's promised a sweetie for his efforts. He's always the topic of conversation at our dinner table and receives fusses, cuddles and kisses whenever he does something cute, like… uh… blink. He's a much loved member of our household and despite all the spectacles, shoes, gloves, knickers and bras that he's eaten/demolished over the past year and a half, we wouldn't trade him for the world. So… please don't call the Animal Cruelty people on our asses.

**When are Inuyasha and Kagome going to get together?**

You mean you're actually expecting them to get together? What was that? There's an 'Inu/Kag' in the summary! Well how on earth did that get there? I better remove it. This is purely a Kagome/Jaken story, I'll have you know.


	17. Of Hounds and Hares

**Author's Notes: **Loooong delay. Sorry!

* * *

**Zero-G **

**Chapter 16**

**Of Hounds and Hares**

Jimbo was eating his children again. It happened at least twice a month nowadays, and Naraku was not going to put up with his antics any more. "Hey," he commanded, tapping the side of the plastic tank. "Stop that this instant."

But he wasn't all that sure if sea monkeys had ears or not. That was probably why they were so disobedient.

Someone knocked on the door; a pathetically weak sound that made Naraku sigh. He knew it was Jaken. "Come in."

The door opened a crack, and the small toad stuck his beak inside. "Miss Kikyo is here to see you, sir."

"Send her in, Ja-"

"Get out of my way, you warty little freak." Kikyo strode through the door, knocking Jaken behind her in the process. She slammed the door shut and sat down abruptly in the chair opposite Naraku's desk.

A long silence stretched between them as Kikyo grimaced and clutched her chest. Naraku blinked at her slowly. "Well, hello," he greeted. "Shouldn't you be in a hospital?"

Kikyo cleared her throat with another wince. "Do you realise how difficult it is to drive with two cracked ribs?" she gasped. "But I had to know."

Naraku leant back and tented his fingers. "Had to know what?"

"How is Inuyasha going to be punished?" Kikyo's eyes were steely, and her fist was clenched so tightly against her chest that her knuckles had drained of colour. A scorned woman was not to be messed with, but Naraku didn't feel particularly sorry for her.

"You know, it's a sad day when I lose one of my best agents," he began calmly, watching his tank of sea monkeys. "It's a terrible shame to lose a man to death… but to lose him to betrayal hurts on an entirely different level. I can't help but wonder if there was anything I could have done, anything I could have said that would have retained his loyalty."

Kikyo shook her hair back from her face. "He doesn't deserve your grief."

"Mm." Naraku shrugged. "I can't help but wonder about this. Inuyasha will be dead by tomorrow morning, and what for, exactly? Because he failed to kill one girl and forgot to mention it?"

"He was protecting her!" Kikyo snapped.

"From you. I know." Naraku rubbed a finger across his lips. "I'd also like to point out that he was assigned to kill the girl on an independent contract. Your contract, in fact. Whether or not he killed the girl is his own lookout, not the Coalescence's. The girl matters very little to us."

Kikyo's eyes narrowed, and her breath rattled in her chest. "I'm one of your best clients," she reminded him evenly. "He tried to kill me today."

"But he didn't. You were wearing a vest, weren't you?" Naraku challenged.

"Yes, but he wouldn't have known that-"

"And what if he did?"

Kikyo bit down on her next retort and gathered her composure again, breathing deeply as she tried to deal with the pain in her chest – the pain that had nothing to do with broken bones or superficial bruises. "Inuyasha took sympathy with a pathetic brat of a girl. How many other of his 'assignments' did he sympathise with?"

"None," Naraku said shortly.

"How can you be so sure?" Kikyo steadied herself with a hand on the desk. "I know Inuyasha better than anyone alive – I know that he didn't develop sympathy overnight. He has a conscience. He has _always _had a conscience. It kills him. It eats at his heart every day, and I know that his dreams haunt him at night. What good is that kind of agent to the Coalescence?"

Naraku sighed, and his eyebrows tilted up in defeat. "That is problematic. But how can I trust what you tell me? Inuyasha has betrayed _you_, so naturally anything you say against him should be taken with a few tonnes of salt."

"You know I don't let emotions rule my judgement." Kikyo clasped her hands together and gave him a level stare. "As it stands, Inuyasha is a liability to us both. It is in our collective interests to have him destroyed."

Naraku gave an empty smile. "You're fortunate in that my superiors agree with you." He ignored the flinch of surprise from Kikyo at his admission. "Because if I were in charge of the network, you would have been the first to die."

Kikyo's eyes were stony.

"Oops." Naraku put a hand to his mouth in mock horror. "That was terribly rude, wasn't it? Well, too late now, I've said it. But a word to the wise, Kikyo: watch your back. You've just killed off one of the best agents we have, and even though your reasoning is valid, we brothers don't take kindly to people like you."

"You're not the leader of the Coalescence?" she demanded coldly.

"There's the door." Naraku pointed and swivelled around in his chair to face the window. "Try not to let it hit you on the way out. No need to make your condition worse."

* * *

Waking up in handcuffs transported Kagome straight back to the first day she'd woken up and found Inuyasha leaning over her. At the time, she had been confused. She'd gone to bed on Tuesday night and had woken up in a stranger's bed. 

But now she remembered.

She remembered changing the channels on the television, and she remembered Yuka telling her about her uncle's funeral. She remembered folding her notepad into her schoolbag and setting off home before curfew – and she remembered _the bike_. It had been standing beside the pavement, the same way it had earlier in the day outside the supermarket. It was Inuyasha's bike, and it had been Inuyasha who had hammered that rock into her head and stolen Zero-G. She remembered everything like it had only happened yesterday. In fact, it _felt_ as if it had been yesterday. Now she thought she was waking up in her murderer's bed.

"Mama," she whispered and began to cry, dragging on her restraints the same way she had done that morning so many days ago.

But it wasn't Inuyasha's hand that pressed against her forehead, and it wasn't his voice that crooned soothing words to her. Kagome, believing the woman to be her mother, relaxed under her care and gradually fell back to sleep. It wasn't until she woke up again a few hours later that her head was clear enough to absorb her surroundings.

The woman had gone, and Kagome's memories had faded to the back of her mind. They weren't overwhelming her anymore, but they had settled like a dull headache, refusing to leave her completely. Even as she sat up and tried to concentrate on the latest problem at hand, the image of that rock bearing down on her skull still haunted her.

The room she'd found herself in was strangely lifeless. It was so neat and clean that she wondered how on earth she'd managed to mistake it for Inuyasha's bedroom. The bed beneath her was decked with pristine covers of white and beige that were tucked in so tightly and firmly that even Kagome's restless slumber hadn't managed to wrinkle them. Beside her was a beside table with a lamp that matched the colour scheme of the bed. The carpet was cream, the walls were white, and there was nothing personal on the dressing table at the foot of the bed that indicated this room was lived in.

It wasn't until Kagome spotted the brochure beneath her right knee that she realised just where she was; a motel.

_That woman brought me here_, she realised. _Is she working for Kikyo? Perhaps the Coalescence? Or have I managed to piss off yet another complete stranger?_

More memories and hard truths bubbled up to the surface to confront her, and Kagome had to close her eyes and concentrate on more pressing matters. She needed to find a way to escape before her kidnapper returned… but it was hard coming up with a plan when all her thoughts started with Inuyasha and ended with Kikyo. The man she'd put her utmost trust in had turned out to be the person who had brought all this hell down upon her. The cousin she'd loved since she could remember had been behind the whole thing, and now she lay dead somewhere. Inuyasha had killed her. Was there anyone he hadn't killed?

Every name written in the black book had been the names of the men and women he'd killed, hadn't they? He'd spun a convincing lie about a crossword puzzle, but when he could lie about something as big as braining her with a rock, she really couldn't trust anything he'd told her. Her name and address had been in that book because Kikyo had given them to him.

Now everything made sense. She now understood how he'd known the Coalescence had been behind her 'murder'. He had a fake ID because he was a criminal, and he had a police scanner because he was probably on a constant run from the law and needed to be three steps ahead. He hadn't wanted her to confront Kikyo or the Coalescence because it would have exposed him! He was selfish and loathsome… why had he bothered sparing her life at all?

_And Kikyo._ Kagome groaned aloud as her thoughts unavoidably turned to her cousin again. _She's dead, and it's my fault. If I had only gone to the police the first chance I had and told them everything! _

But like a fool, she'd trusted what she'd been told. She'd never been lied to before, so why would people lie to her now?

Kagome lay back down on the bed, feeling eighty years older than she'd felt twenty-four hours ago. She stared at the ceiling and wished and prayed that she could turn back time, right back to the day when her grandmother had died. If she could go back and change the past, she would have passed over Zero-G to Kikyo and gotten on with her life, oblivious to what Kikyo was capable of and what went on behind closed doors. Ignorance was bliss, and Kagome wished she could have that feeling once again.

She closed her eyes and concentrated hard, as if will alone could reverse all the cascading disasters that had followed her around for the past week. Maybe if she wished hard enough, she would open her eyes and find herself back in her family shrine, in bed, waking up after a terrible dream.

But when Kagome opened her eyes, nothing had changed. She felt bitterly disappointed, even though she knew it was silly to have expected anything different.

Kagome must have spent at least another hour on that bed, simply thinking and dreading. She didn't know what to expect of her future. It seemed bleak and empty… as if perhaps she didn't _have _a future.

_What if I die today?_ _It seems to be only a matter of time…_

The scrape of a key turning in a lock reached Kagome's ears, and she quickly shut her eyes, pretending to be asleep as someone entered the motel room. Whoever it was shut the door quietly and moved past the bed to open a window. Kagome could tell this was the same woman from before; she wore the same perfume.

Giving up the pretence of sleep, Kagome turned towards the window and met the eyes of her kidnapper. She was the same girl from yesterday with the bruised and battered face. The girl who claimed to be Sango Hara.

"Who are you?" Kagome asked. "Really? You're not Sango Hara at all, are you?"

The girl shook her head sadly. "I _am_ Sango Hara. But I forgive you for thinking otherwise. I don't consider what I did to be upholding police behaviour."

Kagome swallowed hard. "You went missing a few days ago. Everyone was looking for you, last I heard," she said. "How are you even involved in my situation? I mean, why on earth have you kidnapped me?"

"For your own safety."

"I've heard that one before," Kagome said dryly. "The last person who told me they were acting in my best interests was the same person who gave me a massive head injury."

Sango nodded in an understanding way. "Miss Higurashi, I know you've been through a lot, but you probably don't understand the extent of the situation you've found yourself in."

"Oh, I _know_," Kagome responded dryly. "I've been sweetly oblivious to everything, haven't I? Until now. Don't condescend me, Sergeant Hara. I'm well aware of who Inuyasha is, and why I've been holed up in his apartment for the past few weeks. Now if you don't mind, I _really _need to go find a phone so I can call the police and tell them-"

"The police are aware of your situation, Miss Higurashi," Sango said, sending Kagome a shade paler. "Now, I need to go arrange something… I'll be back in an hour or two."

She walked out of the room, locking the door behind her. Kagome was left with a million more questions bubbling over in her mind.

* * *

When all was said and done, not much love was lost between Inuyasha and his fellow cell agents. They had never considered themselves friends or brothers; they had quite simply been rivals. An opportunity had presented itself to rid themselves of one of their closest rivals, and evidently his team mates were not about to waste it. 

There were no lights in the subway tunnels, and the further Inuyasha ran, the dimmer it grew until not even his sharp eyes could pick up anything. He was simply running into a darkness that closed around him like a cold mist. The stench of iron was almost overpowering, and pollution had condensed on the bricks of the tunnel, smearing Inuyasha's hands every time he stumbled into them.

"Where you going, Inuyasha?" he heard Kouga jeer from somewhere behind him. "What's the rush!"

Something squeaked with indignity when Inuyasha stepped on its tail in his rush to distance himself from his cell. He could smell that it wasn't the only rat in the tunnel. It gave him chills to think that they would probably be crawling over his dead body in about ten minutes.

The fast footfalls of Kouga, Bankotsu, and Jakotsu echoed around him, bouncing off the walls and making them seem closer than they actually were. But every time Inuyasha stumbled over the tracks, they gained another metre on him. Inuyasha closed his eyes tightly, knowing it made no difference since he couldn't see anyway, and tried to rely on his hearing alone to guide him.

The distant _clakity-clak _of a train reached his ears and set his nerves on edge. He had no idea how close the train was or if it was even coming his way. It certainly wouldn't be a pretty sight to behold if they met it head on.

_But why am I bothering?_

Inuyasha's pace began to slow down a little.

_I can't escape. There's nothing waiting for me if I do._

He heard his team mates slowing down as he came to a halt in the middle of the tracks. He couldn't see them, and it was unlikely that they could see him either, but Inuyasha turned to face them nonetheless.

"Grew a brain cell at last, eh?" Bankotsu asked from out of the darkness. "Wise decision."

"It seems silly to run," Inuyasha admitted, sounding calmer than he felt. "Especially when Kouga has always been faster than me."

The wolf chuckled. "True. I thought I'd give you a fair chance today."

"Oh, don't let my running away for dear life fool you. I appreciate your consideration." A train was gradually rumbling closer to their position. Inuyasha could hear its engines and the rush of wheels on metal… but he seemed to be the only one. The other three demons remained oblivious to the imminent danger.

"How should we do this then?" Kouga asked.

"We should cut him up into little pieces, real slow like," Jakotsu announced eagerly.

"No – we cut his head off! Now!" Bankotsu demanded.

Kouga agreed with him. "I like that idea."

"Do I have a say?" asked Inuyasha.

"No," was the flat response from all three men. They had turned away to start bickering amongst themselves again when they suddenly fell quiet. In the next moment, the tunnel lit up, and Inuyasha was finally able to look upon the faces of his team mates, but they didn't seem interested in him anymore. Inuyasha turned, following their gazes, and saw two glowing eyes at the end of the tunnel that were growing larger with each passing second. The whole tunnel began rumbling and shaking as the metal monster approached, blaring its horn.

"Well, shit." Kouga said thoughtfully. "I didn't count on that…"

Bankotsu was the first to move. He grabbed Jakotsu and began tugging his transfixed friend backwards. "Come on…!" he urged. "We have to move." But even he had to stop and stare as Inuyasha suddenly took off, charging towards the oncoming train without a second thought.

"He's crazy!" Jakotsu cried, stumbling back with Bankotsu. "Kouga – leave him – let's go!"

But Kouga ignored him and started running after Inuyasha. Both men seemed oblivious to the danger they were heading into. Bankotsu and Jakotsu stared, but after a moment, they simply wrote the other two off as dangerously insane and left them to their suicidal antics. They turned tail and dashed off in the opposite direction.

"Inuyasha!" Kouga yelled as he tried desperately to catch up with the hanyou. "I see what you're trying to do. It won't work!"

"Then go back!" shouted Inuyasha. The train was now only a few hundred metres away and closing fast.

Kouga was beginning to catch up to him, but the wolf knew very well that by the time he could grab Inuyasha's jacket, both of them would be pâté on the rails. However, Kouga had his orders, and he was not about to disobey them, unlike _some _people.

The train driver could see them. He sounded the horn, and the sound ripped through the tunnel like a blast of wind. There was a deafening screech of brakes, but it was simply too late. It would only be a few seconds before the train hit Inuyasha, then only a fraction of a second more before it hit Kouga, too…

Inuyasha suddenly stopped and crouched. For a moment, Kouga thought he was bracing himself for death, but when the hanyou launched himself at the roof of the tunnel and disappeared with a short scramble, it quickly dawned on him what was happening.

Inuyasha had fled through an alcove in the ceiling, and Kouga was about to be mowed down by a train. "Ah," he said, knowledgeably, as the screaming train slammed into him.

* * *

The alcove above the tunnel led to a manhole. It had been sealed shut with reinforced bolts and probably hadn't been opened in decades. Inuyasha wouldn't have to expend much energy in forcing it open, but he didn't particularly feel like moving at that moment. 

_I just got Kouga killed_…

As many times as he'd dreamt about such an event, the real thing was a little more humbling. He didn't care that Kouga was dead; that wasn't the problem. But this marked the end of life as he knew it, and there was no going back now. No way to correct his mistakes and return to the life he'd been living a few weeks ago.

Of course, it was all Kagome's fault. None of this would have happened if she hadn't walked into his life.

_Don't be ridiculous, _he argued with himself. _You brought this on yourself, idiot. You've seen this coming for years. Not everything is about that stupid girl._

The train had come to a dead halt beneath Inuyasha, and the faint murmur of panicked voices could be heard within. He considered stepping down onto the carriage beneath him and walking back to the station… but he didn't want to cross paths with the remaining members of his cell. They probably wouldn't be too happy with Kouga's demise. With a sigh, Inuyasha dropped his forehead against the cold bar in front of him and closed his eyes in contemplation. What now?

_Clunk._

Inuyasha's eyes snapped open. "What _now?_" He looked down as another metallic thud followed the first. His scalp crawled, and he squeezed his fists around the bar he was holding, his eyes glued to the train carriage beneath him.

_Clunk_. A bloodied arm thumped into view, dragging the rest of the body with it. _Clunk_. Kouga dug his claws into the metal roof beneath him, as if it were made of butter, and rolled over to grin up at Inuyasha. "Did you know," he began with a voice that was oddly slurred, "that there's a gap between the tunnel wall and the train so that people on the tracks can get out of the way?"

It seemed as if Kouga had only figured this fact out _after_ he'd been run over. Half of his face looked a little mashed up, and so did most of his left arm, but already Inuyasha could hear the soft crunching of his bones beginning to reset themselves.

_Bloody full-bloods…_ he thought angrily, grinding his teeth. Only someone as thick-skulled as Kouga could be hit by a train and be able to grin stupidly about it a few minutes later. But at least the idiot wolf was about as intimidating as a sickly kitten right then, and Inuyasha felt no compunction in leaving him to it. "Goodbye, Kouga," he said as he began to climb towards the manhole.

Kouga's hand caught his ankle with a grip that surprised Inuyasha considering the state he was in. He glanced back down at Kouga with a scowl. "Don't be stupid," he warned. "You can't fight me like this. Just tell Naraku that you killed me, and I'll never trouble you again."

Kouga's reforming head moved slowly from side to side. "I won't lie to him like you did. I have orders." His grip refused to loosen. "Besides, as you know, these things tend to leap up and bite you in the ass at a later date."

Inuyasha stared at him for a moment. "That's too bad." He kicked his foot out, breaking Kouga's grip in an instant, and began climbing again. He could hear Kouga struggling to sit up and follow him, but the wolf had little chance of catching up when he couldn't even walk.

One sound punch was all that was needed to pop the manhole open. Inuyasha crawled out into a dimly lit concrete tunnel which seemed just as long and foul smelling as the tunnel he'd left behind. He quickly nudged the iron covering of the manhole back into place, just to slow Kouga down a few extra seconds, and took off at a jog in the most likely direction.

If this corridor really was for tunnel maintenance, as he suspected, then he'd probably be able to make it all the way to the next subway station without having to surface. Kouga was in no condition to run after him, while Bankotsu and Jakotsu were probably whimpering and crying back at the station behind him.

_I can do this,_ he thought with a growing air of confidence. _I can get through this!_

As Inuyasha jogged along the seemingly endless corridor, he began formulating a foolproof plan to make his disappearance complete. He could probably count on the Coalescence to have ransacked his apartment by now, pillaging all his belongings and savings along with his –gulp – bike. And even if it _was _in one piece, it was a sure bet that they were watching the place, waiting for him to make a stupid mistake and return there.

He'd have to find another method of getting money. Perhaps he'd break into a promising house and raid some poor woman's jewellery box. He could fence anything he found for money, and if it wasn't enough, he would just go out and steal some more until it was.

Another fake ID would probably come in handy when it came to boarding his plane, and as soon as he set foot in France, he would be safe. It was either that or continue skulking around alleys and sewers, hoping to any god that no one recognised him. Although, that was unlikely; the Coalescence were virtually everywhere.

_And what about Kagome?_ asked a small voice in the back of his mind.

Inuyasha told himself that he didn't care. But he did… and that was a problem.

A door swung open a few hundred metres ahead of him, and a small crowd of people emerged into the corridor, clogging Inuyasha's path. He slowed instantly and narrowed his eyes, trying to see whether or not they were just a maintenance crew. But when one of them turned his way, raised an arm, and gave a short wordless shout that set the rest of them chasing towards him, he realised that he'd found Kouga's backup team.

A muttered string of curses escaped his lips, and Inuyasha quickly began pounding the concrete back the way he'd just travelled. There were eight of them giving chase – Coalescence cells 6 and 9, if he wasn't mistaken. He should have been flattered, he realised, that Naraku had thought so highly of him to send three teams his way. Or _had _Naraku sent them? He wasn't the leader, after all.

"Slow down, Inuyasha, we only want to talk!" one of the demons behind him shouted.

Kouga was up ahead, sitting behind the open manhole and looking drained. He was no match for Inuyasha, but the trouble was what stood behind him; Bankotsu and Jakotsu, to be precise.

Inuyasha slowed down, sensing that he had been effectively sandwiched between two mobs of demons, all thirsting for his blood.

"What happened?" Kouga asked him. Most of his face was back in alignment now, except for his nose. "A few minutes ago, you were quite happy to let us kill you."

"I changed my mind." Inuyasha glanced behind him briefly, taking note of the eight agents stationed there. "I don't want to die."

Kouga smirked. "That's too bad." He echoed Inuyasha's earlier words. "We can't let you live. You're a security risk."

"Oh, I see." Inuyasha looked at Kouga with a hard glare. "But you might have been a little too late for that one."

A spasm of panic fled across Kouga's mangled face, and he suddenly struggled to his feet. "Kill him! Kill him now!"

Ten demons leapt forward at once, seizing any part of Inuyasha that they could find. The hanyou did not make it easy for them as he threw his weight around and twisted out of their reach. Two men who'd grabbed him by the arms went sailing over the heads of their comrades, while three more were thrown to the ground as they attempted to plant knives in Inuyasha's torso.

Kouga watched in growing exasperation as Inuyasha threw another man against the wall, hard enough to make the concrete crack and the pipes leak, before proceeding to head butt another. Each time someone lunged at him with a knife, he evaded and countered, evaded and countered. Every demon who went down picked himself up relatively quickly, but no one was landing a decent blow.

"Enough!" Kouga roared, and everyone glanced at him apprehensively. "Just grab him and hold him still."

Before Inuyasha could react, ten pairs of hands grabbed him around the arms, neck, and legs. He struggled to break free, and while his strength was far superior to the collective strength of ten men, he was nothing against ten full-blooded demons. He heaved from side to side, but no one would let go.

He was stuck.

Slowly, the will seemed to drain out of him all over again, and Inuyasha went lax in their arms. He looked up dully at Kouga to see the wolf stretching out his injured arm. It gave an audible crack, a small crunch, and soon Kouga was rotating it as easily as if he'd been warming down after a tennis match.

"Why do you insist on making this difficult?" he quizzed Inuyasha as he rubbed his knuckles against his palm.

"I'm not making this difficult," Inuyasha said dryly. "It just _is _difficult."

Kouga drove his fist into Inuyasha's stomach. The punch was so hard that stars burst before the hanyou's eyes, and he struggled to draw in breath. His lips went blue, and he tried to curl up, but twenty hands refused to let him move.

"Well, I for one am glad that you're a measly little traitor," Kouga rubbed his nose until it gradually began to straighten out. Now all that was left of his run-in with the train were a few scrapes and cuts and plenty of dried blood. "With you out of the picture," he continued, "I'll be the favourite."

Inuyasha regained the ability to breathe. "You'll always be second to the sea monkeys."

Another punch landed on Inuyasha, higher this time, and cracking one of his ribs. He groaned aloud and screwed his face up. Kouga had always been able to hit freakishly hard, even for a demon.

"Why did you do it, Inuyasha?" Kouga asked, crouching down to look into the hanyou's pained face. "Why did you help the human girl? What have humans ever done for us?"

"What did that girl ever do to Kikyo?" Inuyasha retorted, breathlessly.

Kouga growled. "They are the enemy! Did you forget what they did to us?"

Inuyasha closed his eyes, trying to block out Kouga's voice.

"It was the police, you know," the wolf snapped. "They were the ones who triggered the April Shower. It wasn't a chemical factory explosion – it was a grade E chemical bomb! They didn't care that hundreds of human protesters died because they managed to kill thousands of our kind at the same time! You and I were both there, Inuyasha. We saw our families go down with the rest, and we saw all those bodies in the street, all being buried under ash and gas. No one helped us, did they? No one but the Coalescence. How could you turn your back on us now!"

He punctuated his words by cracking his fist around Inuyasha's jaw. Blood leaked into the hanyou's mouth, but he swallowed it grimly and refused to let Kouga know.

"Why would you forsake everything the Coalescence has done for us… just to save one stupid human girl?" Kouga asked more calmly.

"She wasn't the only stupid human girl I saved," Inuyasha admitted thickly.

Kouga's fist slammed into his chest again, not bothering to pause before he repeated the action. Another rib cracked, and he desperately tried to lean away from the assault, only to be pushed back upright by the people around him.

"I don't get you," Kouga told him as he fisted a hand around Inuyasha's hair. "Maybe you side with them because you're half human yourself?

"They're not the same."

Kouga blinked. "You what?"

"Maybe we were persecuted back then… and maybe we still are." Inuyasha mumbled over the powerful taste of copper in his mouth. "But not all humans are vindictive and corrupt. Most aren't. The people we are sent to kill aren't. We're killing innocents… and I fail to see the point in that."

"The point is that it sends a message to the ones in charge." Kouga stood up again. "The corrupt ones."

Inuyasha slowly shook his head, smirking. "What do they care if we kill a few civilians? It's just less mouths for them to feed. It's more money back in their hands." He looked up at Kouga with a tilted eyebrow. "We're not making any impact on them, Kouga. We never have and we never will."

But Kouga had a trick of being able to hear only what he _wanted _to hear. "You naïve piece of shit," he scorned and kicked Inuyasha so hard around the head that something cracked in his neck. A sharp jolt of pain raced down his spine, quickly followed by a numb wave. The sensation spread all the way to his fingers, sending all his extremities cold and useless as the hands that supported him suddenly let go. Inuyasha toppled to the floor without a sound. He was aware of all the kicks and punches that rained down on his body, but he didn't feel any of them.

Perhaps that was a blessing.

"What's the matter, Inuyasha?" Kouga taunted. "Given up already?"

His clothes were being ripped off. His jacket and shirt lay in a tattered heap against the wall while one of his shoes was lodged between two pipes beside his head. Among the kicks and scratches, Inuyasha felt someone's hands pulling at his trousers. He knew what they planned to do. Leave him dead and naked for some poor loser, who'd undoubtedly need therapy for the rest of his life, to find the next morning. Something about that bothered Inuyasha enough for him to act.

He lashed out impulsively with his claws, slashing at anything that got in his way. Several cries of pain surrounded him, and after a moment of mindless flailing, Kouga's boot slammed down on his arm, pinning it to the ground.

"You're really bothersome," Kouga said flatly, giving him a sour glare. "I think you should die now." He lifted his foot off Inuyasha's arm and turned to his comrades who were limping around with the occasional whimper. "Bankotsu, give me your knife."

Inuyasha closed his eyes as the people around him retreated. He couldn't breathe, or move, or even think straight. He knew he was about to die, but he couldn't bring himself to care. Death would have been a pleasant relief.

"Any last words?" Kouga asked. "As if you haven't said enough already."

"Uh…" Inuyasha swallowed with difficulty. "Yes."

"Well, go on then." Kouga stood above him with the knife poised, waiting with ill concealed anticipation.

Inuyasha glanced at him once before closing his eyes again. "My only regret," he said with a sigh, "is sleeping with your mom."

The hanyou didn't see the incensed rage that spread across Kouga's face, and he didn't see the knife that was lifted, or feel it when it embedded itself between his ribs. There were thundering footsteps coming towards them, but Inuyasha didn't hear them or the cries of "Police! Freeze! Drop your weapons!"

It was likely that he'd passed out during those vital few moments, but when he felt someone pressing their fingers against his neck, looking for a pulse, he roused himself enough to open his eyes. "Oh," he would have said if he could speak. "It's you."

* * *

Sango hadn't returned. 

But as Kagome stared at the wall, her captor's location was the furthest thing from her mind. The faces of her family seemed to dance across the wallpaper, and once again, she was hit with a strong wave of homesickness. She missed her family so much that it hurt, but at the same time, she was afraid to see them again. Was she even the same girl who'd dropped her brother off at school that Wednesday morning? They might recognise her face, but when Kagome couldn't even recognise the person inside her, how could they?

The desire to go back to the way things were before was so strong that Kagome had to curl up on the bed and close her eyes. She was wishing for an impossibility, and her future was ugly.

How was her family supposed to live through this? Through the death of Kikyo?

The door of the motel room clicked open, and Kagome sat up as Sango's bruised face appeared. The police officer marched straight over to the bed where she lay and unlocked the handcuffs that chained her to the bedstead.

"I'm taking you to see someone," she told Kagome. "Hopefully this will all be explained when you meet him."

Kagome rubbed her wrists sourly and glared at Sango. "Who is he?"

"He's just down the hall in another room." She avoided answering Kagome's question. "Come on."

Sango led her out into the corridor, trusting that Kagome would fall into step behind her. The younger girl looked longingly at the windows that ran alongside her and sighed. It was awfully tempting to smash one of them and leap away to freedom, but she knew that she wouldn't. Partly because Sango would no doubt put a quick stop to her getaway, as people often did, and partly because she wanted to meet 'him'.

She couldn't deny that one of the most prominent questions she'd been silently screaming to herself since she was brained with a rock was _'What the fuck is going on!'. _If this person could answer that question, then she was in no mood to run away from it. Kagome needed answers, even though she knew she probably wouldn't like them.

B5 was the name of the room Sango stopped beside, and with a quick look around to make sure they were alone, she unlocked the door and ushered Kagome inside. The girl had to blink repeatedly to adjust her eyes to the darkness. With the lights turned out and the curtains drawn, the motel room was rather dim, lit only by the deep orange burn of a low sun through the curtains.

But it wasn't so dark that she couldn't see Inuyasha's form lying on the bed.

Like a cornered rat, Kagome tried to back out of the room. Sango's hands clutched her shoulders forcefully to keep her from running and whispered into her ear. "Please don't panic, Miss Higurashi. It's ok."

"No, it's _not _ok!" Kagome fought back. "He tried to kill me!"

Sango's grip remained firm. "Kagome, he's hurt – look at him."

Gradually, her struggles died down, and Kagome looked hesitantly towards the bed. He _was _hurt. She could plainly see that, even in such poor lighting. She could hear his breath rattling in his chest and noticed that his torn clothes revealed multiple injuries that made Sango's face look flawless.

"He's hurt," Kagome said softly, trying to figure out the knot of feeling that had become lodged in her chest. She was scared and angry at him, she knew that. But why did she want to go to his side, stroke his face, and tell him he would be alright? It was an inappropriate reaction, so instead she looked uncertainly to Sango. "You brought me to see _him_?"

Sango shook her head. "No. He just rescued Inuyasha from the Coalescence," she explained. "They turned on him."

"Good. He deserved it," Kagome said decisively, even though she felt sorry for him. Another inappropriate emotion. "But who saved him?"

A disembodied voice called from the adjoining bathroom. "That would be me." A moment later, a man appeared; a basin of water in one hand and a flannel in the other. "Hello," he greeted pleasantly. "You must be Kagome. This idiot here has been rambling on about you in his sleep for quite a while now."

Kagome could have sworn she'd seen him before. "Hello…" she returned hesitantly, wondering if he was a friend or foe.

Sango had a tight expression on her face as she made an introductory gesture at the stranger. Her animosity towards him was blatant, but he didn't seem to notice. "Miss Higurashi, this is Miroku Hoshi."

The colour drained completely from Kagome's face. "Oh."

Sango looked at her sympathetically. "Do you understand now?"

Kagome glanced from Miroku to Sango, then finally to Inuyasha. "No. But I think I'm beginning to…"

* * *

**_Teh Fackyews _**

_(So popular in fact that Channel Four stole the name for their new show 'FAQ U' – pronounced 'Fackyew') :shakes fist:_

**Do you know Harry Potter?**

Not personally, no. He's more of a friend of a friend.

**How many Chapters are left now?**

Ooh… er… I'm not sure.

**Jaken/Kagome! You sick sick little girl!**

You mean, you only just realised!

**Did you like the R.A.G present?**

Loved it! I'm trying to get around to thanking everyone personally, but I don't have everyone's email. TT But fear not – if you hadn't heard from me then know that I'm entirely appreciative! I'll find you eventually!

**Who the bloody fuck is Kasumi and Inokku!**

I smell someone who needs to stop skipping important paragraphs…

**What does IMHO stand for?**

In My Humble Opinion, I believe.

**It's amusing to see british terms like 'lorry' in a story set in Japan.**

Only about as amusing as it is to see American terms like 'truck' or 'mailbox' in a story set in Japan. If using British/American terms for things taking place in Japan were illegal, then we'd be writing these stories in Japanese.

**"You what?" :has spasms: That response makes no sense to Inuyasha's statement!**

Something Aithril brought up, my poor Grammar Nazi of a Beta. I know I've used it in the past and I will probably use it again in the future, so rather than change it in this chapter, I'll leave it in and explain it's meaning. 'You what?' is probably one of the those Briticisms that keep slipping into my work. I'm not deliberately trying to confuse people, as this is just the kind of language that I use in day-to-day life. When someone says something confusing, unbelievable or perhaps just too quietly to be heard, another person might respond with "You what?" It means the same thing as "Excuse me?" but is generally a bit more 'common' and perhaps a little ruder given the tone of voice. It can also be a expression of disbelief. For example, Harry shouts "You WHAT!" when he learns that Ron asked Fleur Delacour to the ball in book 4.

**I thought Midoriko-sama was married to Numisma…**

She is, but she's a bit of a bigamist. But I won't complain seeing as how I've gotten several swish cars and a few holidays out of her.

**Are you going to write a new story?**

You're the first person who's ever wanted me to do that halfway through a current story. Is it that bad?

**Writer's block doesn't exist.**

Perhaps, but then what do you call that feeling when you stare at the sentence you left off at and can't, for the life of you, think of what to write next? Anything you do write seems hackneyed and dogged, and even though you know where the story is heading, you still can't finish it. It may not exist, but it's damn annoying.

**I know this fic is all against the "people who go with the flow"… but I believe even them are necessary. You can't have a world with only "bosses", the ordinary tasks have to be done by someone. We're all needed: the different and the simple people.**

Actually, you might have misread a little bit. This isn't against people who perform ordinary tasks in society and don't stand out, it's against the people who ignore the problems and do nothing to help, even if it is within their power. For instance, a woman can sit on a bench in the middle of a busy street and cry for two hours before anyone will stop and ask her what is wrong. If someone sees a man attempting to break into a jewellery shop in broad daylight, they will skirt around him, even if there are terrified customers inside the shop. If a fight breaks out outside a bar, no one will make any attempt to break it up until it's over and someone's lying on the street in their own puddle of blood. Believe me, I've seen all of these things happen. It is these people who sit back, bitch about society's problems, yet do absolutely nothing to help, that I'm referring to.

**You'll be disappointed with the HMC movie.**

Not really. I've seen it already (the Japanese version) and it's just been adapted to Miyazaki's standard of film. I like Miyazaki films and I like Howl's Moving Castle, so while the film is different from the book, I still find it quite enjoyable. Except… what the hell was Disney smoking when they decided to call Michael '_Markl'_!


	18. Carrying Over

**Authors Notes**: Sorry for the delay! Extra long chapter to make up for it.

* * *

**Zero-G**

**Chapter 17**

**Carrying Over**

Kagome's eyes felt dry and sore, and her lack of sleep had brought on a headache. When she went to the bathroom to refresh Inuyasha's bowl of cold water, she caught herself in the mirror and grimaced. A girl with rough edges and panda eyes stared back at her morosely from the reflection. Perhaps her hair needed a good combing, and a perhaps a good night's sleep would take care of those dark smudges beneath her eyes, but she couldn't allow herself any slack.

Everything had been turned on its head again, much to her dismay. She'd thought the situation was quite clearly black and white – that Inuyasha was bad, and the police would help her. But the moment Kagome had seen Inuyasha lying on the bed, a pang of concern race through her heart. The lines of black and white had blurred again.

Only when a dead man had walked out of the bathroom had she begun to understand the enormity of the situation. As soon as she'd heard his name – Miroku Hoshi – Kagome knew that she'd walked into something that was entirely beyond her depth. Everything she'd already concluded had to be thrown out the window as he'd explained the situation. It had been difficult to listen to… but she didn't have much choice in the matter.

"I didn't actually know Inuyasha until he came to kill me," Miroku had told her in a pleasant, conversational tone as if he were discussing the weather. "To be honest, I wasn't entirely happy at the time. I was dissatisfied with my job, and having two wives is highly overrated – they _both _want your money, and they _both_ want to spend New Years with you… but anyway…

"Admittedly, I was a little concerned when Inuyasha arrived and told me he wanted to give my father a message. I thought he was a Coalescence assassin who'd been sent to kill me. I mean, he _was _a Coalescence assassin who'd been sent to kill me, but fortunately, it wasn't quite that simple. Inuyasha's a mole for the police, gathering any and all information he can on the Coalescence and giving it to us. He's probably the only one we have, because, as you might imagine, it's much harder to get recruited into the Coalescence than it is to get recruited into the police. Our organisation is riddled with spies, which makes Inuyasha so vital to us.

"Part of Inuyasha's job within the Coalescence is to assassinate potential enemies such as the Ambassador of Spain and key figures within the police force, but naturally, we don't want him to do that. As long as he's not the only Coalescence agent aware of a potential target, he can leak the information to the police without being sussed by his bosses. Plans get miraculously changed at the last minute, and people get saved. But sometimes it gets tricky when he's sent on solo missions, or when he's contracted independently by people like Kikyo. It's critical that he maintains his cover with the Coalescence, so for all appearances, the people he's sent to kill _must _disappear. Including me and you.

"We're the lucky ones, Kagome dear. If the police think you're worth saving, they'll fling you into witness protection faster than you can sneeze. I was saved solely because my father's in the force. It was surprisingly easy. We just mocked up some pictures of me hanging myself, which was quite fun, and then wrote a heartbreaking little suicide note. The world and my wives would think I topped myself, while the Coalescence would assume that Inuyasha had done his job. I went into hiding with a new identity and have been helping my father ever since.

"Others… aren't so lucky. Inuyasha has killed civilians in the name of the Coalescence, people who the government doesn't feel are important enough to warrant saving. Don't hold it against him though. He hardly has a choice in the matter…

"I'm not entirely sure of the circumstances in which he saved _your _life, Kagome, as that was a little before I met him. All I know is that the police wouldn't offer you protection, so it was incredibly risky of him to save you when you had no where to go and no one to turn to. And as you can see, the repercussions of that act have finally caught up with us.

"As for the lovely Sango here, she's only alive and well thanks to Inuyasha too. She was captured by the Coalescence a short while ago. Inuyasha managed to spring her free – a very risky feat, but one we're eternally grateful for. Obviously Sango qualifies for protection too, seeing as how she's the Chief's daughter. She can't publicly rejoin the force because the Coalescence is probably quite scared of this little lady. She knows too much – such as where the Coalescence headquarters are located – information that they don't want falling into police hands. They have spies in the force. Too many. If Sango set foot in a station, she'd probably be shot on sight. The Coalescence will be so desperate to keep her quiet that they'd even risk revealing their spies to get rid of her. For now, it's best that she lies low with me and just pass information directly to her father on the sly. And why not? We both thoroughly enjoy each other's company!

"Sango dear, please don't sigh so loudly. Kagome can't hear me.

"Anyway, that's all I know. If you have any other questions, I'm afraid you'll have to address them to Inuyasha himself… when he comes round a bit more.

"But as you can see, Inuyasha is _not _who you think he is. He's one of the good guys."

_Then why couldn't he just tell me?_

Kagome continued watching over the restless hanyou. There wasn't much she could do to alleviate his discomfort, other than keep the cloth on his forehead cool by dipping it every now and then into the basin of water on her lap. He wasn't healing as quickly as he'd done in the past. She didn't know why. Perhaps he had an infection? There had still been a lot of dirt and grime in his wounds before she'd taken over from Miroku. In this kind of situation, she would have been on the phone to the hospital, demanding an ambulance, but that kind of assistance was out of the question. Hospitals didn't take in demons. It was as simple as that.

Miroku and Sango had shuffled off to the café across the road to get a bite to eat and discuss options. They'd offered to bring something back for Kagome, but she'd refused. Food was the last thing on her mind.

* * *

The room was quiet when Inuyasha awoke. Quiet and incredibly hot, even though he could feel goose bumps tingling across his flesh. He didn't want to keep still, but he had no energy to move. The colours of the ceiling above him seemed to swirl together. Nothing stayed in place. The only thing that made sense was the steady, unmoving presence that sat beside him.

He tried focusing his eyes on her, but she was only a figure of indistinct shapes and colours, facing towards the window as if lost in thought.

Inuyasha reached for the shape that most resembled her hand and clasped his fingers round hers. She jerked in surprise, and he had to tighten his grip to keep her from pulling away. The effort almost drained his strength completely. "I'm sorry," he said weakly.

She stared at him.

"I know how much you probably hate me." He closed his eyes and loosened his hold on her wrist. "You didn't give me a chance to explain…"

"Shh." Her finger touched his lips briefly before brushing against his cheek in a tender manner. "Don't worry about it now. Just rest."

"But you need to know – I need to explain-"

"There's no need," she responded simply. "I know. Just concentrate on getting better."

He paused, confused. "Kikyo, I tried to kill her – I swear I did! But I couldn't finish it." The girl pulled her hand away, withdrawing from him both physically and emotionally, but he ploughed on. "She was just a kid… I thought I could convince her to go abroad and never bother us again, but I couldn't. I didn't do this intentionally to cause trouble."

She'd gone back to staring at the window. Inuyasha had the distinct impression that he was being ignored.

"She's not like us…" he whispered, grimacing at the ceiling as a surge of pain arched up his spine. "The world needs her more than it needs us."

Her hand found his again, and a cold cloth was pressed against his forehead. "You have a fever," he heard her say, but she sounded like she was in another room. "Try not to exert yourself. Just go back to sleep and everything will be clearer when you wake up."

"I'm sorry," he gasped again.

The hand slipped away from him. "It's not me you need to apologise to."

* * *

"Well?"

Naraku was almost certain he knew the answer to his prompt when the best part of three Coalescence cells stood before his desk, looking as bedraggled as a litter of kittens who had nearly been drowned in a cloth sack. Some of them were swaying, strangely distant and half-asleep, while most of their clothes were in tatters – Kouga's in particular.

"Well…" Kouga began slowly, pressing his index fingers together and looking at the ceiling. "We had him cornered, right?"

Naraku groaned internally and slipped down his chair an inch. "Right…"

"And this was in the subway, you see." Kouga scratched his nose thoughtfully. "He took off running down the tunnels and we followed him. But then this train came, and he got into a maintenance tunnel above us and I got mowed down. The two chicken shits behind me just ran for it."

Bankotsu and Jakotsu had the decency to look vaguely ashamed. Or perhaps they were just pretending Kouga wasn't pointing at them?

"We caught up to him in the corridor and tried to finish him off." Kouga snapped his fingers. "And we were so close! But the police found us and we had to leave, Boss."

Naraku slipped another inch. "The police, huh?"

"I stuck a knife in his gut, but I'm not sure if that did the job." Kouga said, shrugging uncertainly. "We cheesed it before the police got to him."

"I see," Naraku commented evenly. "Any reason to believe he's alive now?"

"That's a grey area right now," Kouga explained. "Our sources within the police haven't had reports of anyone matching Inuyasha's description being brought in. It's possible that the police who found him just left him to die, or maybe even finished him off themselves."

"That's a possibility." Naraku agreed.

"So…" Kouga shifted uncertainly in front of the other agents. "What do we do now?"

Naraku was silent for a long time as he contemplated their options. He would, of course, have to inform his boss and await his orders, but he could take a fair guess at what they would be. "For now we'll assume Inuyasha is alive," he began slowly, after great length, "and quietly keep searching for him. I want every man in this institution aware that he has gone rogue and that if he is ever sighted, he is to be brought in. Backup may be necessary, however. I want the girl as well. She probably knows too much. It's best if we dispose of her as quickly as possible."

"And Kikyo?" Kouga cocked his head.

Naraku gave an inward hiss. "Kikyo?" He mirrored Kouga's tilt of the head.

"She's really pissy about this Inuyasha business," the wolf responded. "What do we tell her if she starts asking questions?"

Naraku tented his fingers. "Nothing. As of this moment, the Coalescence is cutting ties with Kikyo Higurashi. She's a dangerous woman and a threat to our security. If she starts asking questions, you do not tell her anything. Understand?"

A wave of nods washed over the crowd of agents.

"Good." Naraku sat back, satisfied. "Now go. I have business to attend to."

As the band of agents collectively filed and wobbled out of his office, Naraku turned away to observe his sea monkeys with an imperceptible sigh.

The situation was getting out of hand again, he realised. He'd have to talk to his boss.

* * *

Kagome didn't think she'd ever been so tired in all her life. And chloroforming aside (which was surprisingly exhausting), being shoved, pushed and threatened all day had made her weary and weak. Her eyes were beginning to burn. She was had resorted to dipping her fingers in the basin of cold water to rub the coolness against her eyes in an attempt to stay awake and refreshed.

Inuyasha's fever refused to relinquish its hold over him. He still tossed and turned in his sleep, though sometimes his eyes were open and staring unseeingly around him. Occasionally he spoke someone's name, usually hers, mostly Kikyo's, and a few others she didn't know personally. Kouga popped up a few times, as well as a few tasteless comments regarding his mother. All Kagome knew about him was that Kikyo had supposedly called on him to kill her when they'd been in her office. The thought sent a shiver up her spine.

"What am I doing here…?" she whispered to herself, looking over Inuyasha's restless form with heavy-lidded eyes.

Inuyasha would have killed her today if Kikyo hadn't been so stingy about the number of bullets she kept in her gun. She could have been laying on the plush white carpet of Kikyo's office with blood leaking out of a hole in her head at that very moment if things had taken a slightly different path, and Inuyasha would have been the one responsible.

Did the fact that he was working for the police make his actions any more justified? Possibly, if it was 'for the greater good' as so many people put it. Kill one to save many. In the grand scale of things, it was better for everyone.

However, when Kagome was that 'one', she _really_ resented it. _Why me?_ she asked herself, bewildered. _These things always happen to other people… not me._ Why couldn't she have been one of the many?

How many other innocent people had he killed because they weren't deemed important enough to live? How close had she come to being just another unimportant body?

Which brought to mind a very important question. "Why did you let me live?"

But Inuyasha was in no fit state to answer. His only response was to roll his head across the pillow and mutter incomprehensibly. He couldn't tell her why he'd done it, or why he'd been so ready to amend that mistake in Kikyo's office. He probably couldn't even hear her.

Kagome tried anyway. "I remember," she said, her voice cracking with exhaustion. "That night you came after me with that horrible rock. I was so scared. How do you forgive something like that?"

She ran a hand over her face, settling it over her mouth to keep anything else from spilling out.

_I can't forgive you_, she thought. Whatever justifications were given, whatever reasons, Kagome couldn't accept it. _You've taken everything from me_.

The motel door opened on the other side of the bed. Kagome looked up to see a very grim-faced Sango enter, followed by a more amiable Miroku. She regarded them both uneasily. She had yet to figure out if they were 'good guys', no matter who they allied themselves with.

"We've been talking with my father," Sango said, moving to stand by the window with her arms folded. "He's… a bit upset-"

"Screaming so loud down the phone that half the cafeteria now know he's a bit upset." Miroku added cheerfully. "Although 'pissed raving mad' would be a better description."

"Yes, thank you," Sango gave him a sour look. "He's not happy that we've just lost our only spy."

Kagome gave a light shrug and looked back at Inuyasha. Perspiration shone on his face and ran down his neck and shoulders. "Maybe it's better this way?" she pointed out. "He won't have to kill people like me anymore."

Sango and Miroku gave each other awkward looks. "Well," Sango began slowly, "my father thinks the situation is still repairable. It's possible that we can send Inuyasha back in. As far as we know, the Coalescence isn't aware of his connection to the police. They simply believe he-"

"Wait," Kagome frowned at her. "You can't send Inuyasha back there. They just tried to kill him. They won't take him back."

Sango nodded, as if she were agreeing with her on some level. "We have to try," she said simply. "He's our only chance."

"Surely Inuyasha has a say in the matter?" Kagome demanded to know.

"Actually, he doesn't." Miroku gave her a wan smile.

Before Kagome could ask what he meant by that, Sango rushed on. "More importantly, I've been discussing your situation with my father. He recognises that your life is in serious danger, not just from your own cousin, but from the Coalescence."

"My cousin is dead," Kagome said bitterly, throwing a heartfelt glare at Inuyasha.

"Actually, she isn't." Miroku gave an even weaker smile.

Kagome blinked at him. "Pardon?"

"Police responded to a report from her office earlier today. When they arrived, she was perfectly alive." Sango explained. "I don't know much more than that."

"But _he _shot her dead," Kagome said, jabbing a finger at Inuyasha.

"In the chest, right?" Miroku asked. When she nodded, he gave her a knowledgeable wink. "Bullet vest. I'd be surprised if a woman of Kikyo Higurashi's stature wasn't wearing one to bed, honestly. Besides, they make very nice Kevlar ones these days, don't they, Sango?"

"Mm," the woman hummed. "I'm wearing one right now." Kagome couldn't tell. Sango's grey cotton jacket was quite tight-fitting, and there were no telltale bumps or lumps.

"Quite the fashion accessory in some circles," Miroku noted.

"So she's ok?" Kagome asked uncertainly.

"Yeah, sorry." Sango wrinkled a bruised nose.

Kagome was actually relieved. "I'm glad," she said softly. At their confused looks, she just shrugged. "She's still my cousin."

"Ah," Miroku nodded. "That must be a girl thing. If my cousin ever tried to kill me, I'd beat the living snot out of him and happily watch a pack of beavers tear him limb from limb." Sango promptly stepped on his foot.

Kagome didn't care. "I would like to know," she said, looking pointedly at Sango, "why Kikyo hasn't been brought up on charges if the police are aware of what she's done?"

Sango's expression softened slightly, and she moved to sit down on the bed. "You have to understand," she told Kagome earnestly. "Kikyo is a very wealthy, very _powerful _woman. If we were to arrest her, it would only be a matter of time before she used her money and connections to get herself free. She requires time and money that we simply do not have. It's more important that resources are spent on eliminating the Coalescence rather than the few people who employ their services."

Kagome's face hardened. "You mean I'm not important enough to have justice."

Sango looked back at her steadily. "That's exactly what I mean."

The girl gave a harsh laugh of disbelief. "How can you allow things like this to go on! How could you even let someone like Kikyo bribe her way out of punishment? How corrupt are you people?"

"Very corrupt," Miroku said bluntly. It was one of the only times he said anything without earning a reproving glare from Sango. "And we know that if you try to approach anyone – the police or your family – you will probably be killed."

Kagome swallowed hard.

Sango placed a hand on her knee. "You are a threat to Kikyo's career and freedom. It's clear she won't hesitate to get rid of you as soon as you surface, for fear of her reputation-"

"But I have to!" Kagome burst out. "She can't get away with this-"

"It's not worth dying over, Kagome." Sango sighed. "You're no good to anyone dead. And acting reckless now will not only endanger your life, but many others as well. Please just hear us out. My father outlined a plan for you."

Kagome ran a hand through her hair. "What plan?"

"You may not like it, but it's the only thing we can do for you," Sango explained.

"What?" Kagome said again.

Miroku pushed away from the wall. "I'm leaving the country tomorrow," he said, shrugging lightly. "It's what happens to the people under witness protection if they're a liability, useless to the government, or just don't have anywhere to go. I'm classed in the second group what with my… ahem, former career and everything. Sango would be coming with me, but she's too useful. But you, Miss Higurashi, are classed in all three."

It took a moment for his meaning to dawn, and when realisation hit, Kagome sucked in a sharp breath. "You want me to leave the country?" she asked.

"You're a liability," Sango said softly, "to a lot of people. And it's not like you have the kind of contacts that most people in your situation would have. You don't have anywhere to go or anyone to help you. So we're sending you with Miroku."

Kagome twitched an uncertain look towards the man who was smiling mildly at her. "Isn't there another option?"

"Well, you could go back to your family right now, tell them what's happened, and watch them go to the police. Then Kikyo can kill you all and bribe the cops into silence and then get back on with her upward spiralling career," Miroku suggested, as if it were a reasonable option. "Or you could come with me to Paris and wait for it to blow over in relative safety. It's not a permanent deal, but I think it's preferable to hiding in the shadows for the rest of your life."

Kagome looked hopefully between the pair, waiting for them to pose a different plan that involved her being reunited with her family and everything going back to 'normal'. Something that would probably have to involve a time machine of some sort. "What about my family?" she asked. "I can't leave them."

"You'll have to," Sango pressed.

A moment's silence settled over them, filled only by the wheezing gasp of Inuyasha's breath. Kagome's throat had closed up. She knew that if she didn't school herself properly, she would dissolve into tears again; it was something she didn't want to do in front of a police officer and her friend of rather dubious background.

"The one thing that is killing me about all this is that my family thinks I'm dead," Kagome said in a low, trembling tone. "I can't just leave it like that. Even if you won't let me see them… can't I at least contact them? My little brother already knows. I don't know if he's told Mama or Grandpa, but I just need to know if they're ok. If they understand."

Sango gave Miroku a reluctant look. "It's too dangerous."

"Her family have a right to know," he argued.

"But if they let it out that she's still alive-"

"They won't," Kagome interrupted. "I'm not just saying that because they're family. They're the most trustworthy people on this planet. With the exception of Souta. And Grandpa, because he's always lying. And maybe Mama too, because she sometimes goes through my room without asking just because-"

"Kagome-"

"But they're ok, really!" Kagome clasped her hands together. "They're good people. They deserve to know what kind of danger they're in, and they're not stupid enough to start talking if it means risking their lives. They have to know that Kikyo isn't trustworthy."

Sango made a pained noise, as if she wanted to refuse and accept at the same time. "You can't see them, Kagome," she said, wincing. "Kikyo will be waiting for you to do something like that."

"A letter then." Kagome wriggled her fingers. "A phone call?"

"I'll have to ask my father, but I won't make any promises," Sango responded evasively.

Kagome sat back, not caring whether she had to get permission or not. The moment she found herself alone with a phone, she'd be on it in a flash and dialling her house number. Rather than push her luck, she changed subjects. "Why France?" she asked.

"We have an embassy there that can take care of you and Miroku. Give you money, housing, French lessons." Sango reeled off on her fingers. "And it's a beautiful city. I've seen pictures. Compared to this place, Paris is a gaudy little heaven."

It sounded like a place Kagome would have liked to have visited on holiday. But staying there was another matter entirely. "How long would I be there?"

"Till things calm down here," piped Miroku.

"Till the Coalescence loses its grip on the city," added Sango.

"Till Hell freezes over," nodded Kagome. "Got it."

Sango cast her another apologetic look. "I'm sorry."

"It's not your fault." Kagome looked at Inuyasha. "It's his. He was right. He should have killed me when he had the chance." It would have made a lot less hassle for everyone concerned.

* * *

A trip to France was not something to be planned overnight, yet that was exactly what Sango and Miroku were keen to do. Times had changed. It wasn't like the old days when anyone could go abroad on a whim and stay away for however long they wanted. Flights were far more controlled than that – the people boarding them even more so. It wasn't that holidays had been abolished in any sense. Anyone could get on a plane and go on holiday, as long as their destination happened to be another airport elsewhere in Japan.

Flights abroad were costly (though money was hardly a problem when the government was funding you), and every passenger had to be checked over extensively to make sure they planned to return at some point.

"What happened to the passport you had?" Miroku asked distractedly as he tapped away at the laptop on his knees. He said he was writing an email to 'a friend', and although Kagome had attempted to read it over his shoulder, most of it seemed to be in code. "The one Inuyasha gave you?"

"Uh…" Kagome looked at the ceiling. "Back at the flat? How do you know about it?"

"Because my friend was the one who made it for you."

"Huh," Kagome huffed. "So you knew Inuyasha back then, did you?"

"Yep."

"Do you… do you think we should go back to the flat and get it?"

"Oh nooooo," Miroku whistled, not looking at her. "Might as well paint a target on your chest and go wander round a firing range!"

"The Coalescence will no doubt have ransacked the place by now," Sango explained. "They'll be waiting for Inuyasha to do something stupid like go there. And they'd probably lynch anyone else who drops by too."

They said nothing more. Miroku went on tapping, Sango continued slicing a tomato with a very sharp knife, and Inuyasha kept muttering nonsensically about a dead motorbike. Kagome dearly wanted to put her head down and go to sleep, but common sense told her not to trust her unconscious body with these people. Although said body was beginning to betray her. Already she could feel herself nodding off; her head slid to the side before she jolted back awake.

"Need a picture," said Miroku suddenly.

"Of what?" Kagome yawned.

"You! For your new passport!" He turned to her with a grin, bringing out a phone from his pocket. He levelled the integrated camera lens at her face. "Smile!"

Kagome just blinked.

"Hang on." Sango took her feet off the bed. "You'll have to do something about her appearance. The computers at customs might have her face on profile."

"Ah… true." Miroku lowered his phone thoughtfully. "But those things are ridiculously easy to fool."

"Eh?" Kagome rubbed her eyes.

"Sango, please demonstrate." Miroku waved a hand to the policewoman like he would to an assistant. Sango descended upon Kagome, knife bared in her hand. Before the girl could even open her mouth to scream, the woman had seized her by the hair and had dashed the knife across her nape. The tug on her scalp was gone in a second, and a cascade of glossy black hair fell around her.

"_What have you done!_" she shrieked, leaping to her feet. She ran to the mirror to check the damage. What she saw almost made her burst into fresh tears. Gone were the curls and waves she'd tended to so proudly for the last fifteen years. All that was left was a short, shapeless bob that ended at the chin.

"Say hello to Kyoko Sano." Miroku chirped. She turned to him thunderously, and the sudden flash informed her that her wrath would be captured forever in whatever new passport he was having forged for her at that very moment. Kagome was just reaching for the nearest vase of silk flowers with which to bludgeon him to death, when Sango caught her shoulders.

"It's not that bad," the officer assured her. "We'll just fluff it up a little so it doesn't look so harsh."

Kagome didn't think it would ever look good again, but she sat back down on the edge of the bed, boneless, and let Sango use her knife to chip away at her suddenly very severe hairstyle.

"This would be easier with scissors," Sango commented as another inch of black fell to Kagome's lap. "And possibly if I were actually a hairdresser."

"You're getting tomato juice in my hair," Kagome informed her.

"It needs washing anyway." Sango sawed another section away. "At least this will be more believable. I'm telling you now, officers are very suspicious of folk who have exactly the same hair in their passport photos."

"Because it either means the photo was taken yesterday, implying forgery," Miroku chipped in, "or you're just one of those god-awful people who never changes their hair."

"We'll find you a pair of specs as well," Sango added. "Just to make sure we fool the system."

"Like Superman." Kagome yawned.

Sango set the knife down. "Look, it's late. Maybe you should be getting to bed. We'll sort everything out for you."

Kagome shifted reluctantly, her soul screaming for a soft mattress to lie on while some part of her conscience made her glance at Inuyasha. "What about him?"

"We'll take care of him, don't worry," Sango said, tugging Kagome onto her feet.

The girl didn't have the energy to argue. She ignored Miroku's farewell bid and tottered precariously out the door after Sango, touching her hair self-consciously as she went. Someone had obviously been in and cleaned the first motel room since Kagome had last woken up there, and as Sango closed the door behind them, Kagome instantly found herself gravitating towards the freshly made bed. She was asleep and snoring the moment her head touched the pillow.

When she woke up, she was in a car.

* * *

Light and fresh air was streaming through a window Inuyasha did not recognise when he woke up. His unfamiliar bed was uncomfortably sticky with sweat, and there was a rather battered police officer snoozing in the chair beside him, her mouth wide enough to catch flies.

He took a moment to assess his situation and figure out where he was.

A motel, obviously. But how had he gotten here?

"Oi." He gave the woman a nudge.

She snorted awake, already reaching for the knife in her belt before she realised who he was. "Oh," she croaked, relaxing. She rubbed her eyes. "You're better then."

He eyed her suspiciously. "Sango, right?"

"Glad you remember your victims," she replied dryly.

"You weren't _my _victim." He plastered on a big fake smile. "So how are you doing? Haven't seen you since I sprung your backside out of a Coalescence headquarters. Last time we spoke, I was sending you to pick up Kagome. Please tell me you at least got _that _right."

Sango's glare was contemptuous. "Of course. While you were busy pretending to be a punching bag for your terrorist chums, I was saving your little girlfriend."

"She's not my girlfriend," he groused. "She _is _little, though. She's safe, right?"

"Mm." Sango nodded. "Do you remember what happened to you?"

"Bleh… sort of." Inuyasha stretched out his arms before him and examined all the healing cuts and bruises. He touched his chest tentatively. "I got stabbed, didn't I?"

"It wasn't pretty," she admitted. "You got an infection. You had a very bad fever which only just broke half an hour ago. That'll teach you to play roughhouse with demons."

"I'm going to kill Kouga," Inuyasha vowed half-heartedly, settling back against his pillows with a loud, exaggerated sigh. "And this time I won't even feel slightly guilty." He looked at Sango again. "Where's Kagome now?"

"On her way to France."

Inuyasha sat up so fast it was like he'd been poked with a branding iron. His whole body screamed silently in protest, but for a moment, his mind was blank. He was torn between the desire to rip off the duvet and make a run for the door, and the wish to just curl into a whimpering ball and nurture all his aches.

Sango gave him an incredulous look. "What?" she asked with a scoff. "You want to run after them? Why?"

"I wasn't," Inuyasha responded self-consciously, lying back down. "I was just… testing my, uh, my muscles."

"Right."

"Them?" Inuyasha scowled at her. "What do you mean 'them'? Who's with her?"

"Miroku."

Inuyasha very nearly did leap out of bed then. If Sango hadn't pushed him back down, he would have been out the door and down the street faster than one could shriek "Porn Star!"

"He's a pervert!" Inuyasha protested, wrestling Sango with all the strength of an anaemic kitten. "Don't tell me she's alone with him? She's alone with him! In a confined space! He'll be groping her before the movies start – don't think I don't know what that bastard is capable of-"

"We all know what that bastard is capable of." Sango soothed. "Kagome is a very canny young woman. If she can handle you, she can handle Miroku."

"Are you calling me a pervert?"

"No, I'm saying you're _worse_ than a pervert. You're an uncouth, loud-mouthed asshole with no respectabilities."

"That's alright then." Inuyasha stopped fighting her. "But she's ok, isn't she?" he asked anxiously. "Last time I saw her, she was in a bad way."

"I told you. She's a smart girl. Very tough." Sango straightened his duvet. "Her only problem was that no one was telling her what was going on. No wonder she freaked out so badly. Why weren't you just straight with her before?"

Inuyasha stared at the ceiling. "She would have hated me."

"She hates you now anyway." Sango sighed. "That's the problem with big, nasty secrets, Inuyasha. They tend to come out at the most inopportune moment and fuck everything up for everyone."

"Does she really hate me?" Inuyasha winced.

"Yes." Sango nodded cheerfully. "But she still stayed by your side throughout your fever, so she's not being irrational about it anymore. Everything's been explained to her properly now. She understands. It might have softened her towards you a little. But… whatever. Be happy for her. She's off to Paris now. I half wish I could have gone with her rather than be stuck with a misery-guts like you."

He gave her a dirty look. "Would this trip have anything to do with witness protection?"

"Yes," she said. "My father finally granted it to her for being such a bloody pest."

"About time," Inuyasha griped.

"Um…" Sango's fingers knotted together. "My father also wants you to go back in."

He gave her a hard look. "Does he know that my own cell just tried to kill me?"

Sango nodded, avoiding his gaze. "Certainly," she said coolly. "And he also wishes to remind you of the 'or else' clause of the deal."

"Um…" Inuyasha squinted at the ceiling. "They're bringing back the death penalty, aren't they?"

"About 95 percent chance of it being voted back in, according to polls." Sango leant back to begin picking at the dirt beneath her nails with the tip of her knife. "So, in all likeliness, yes."

"Great. Damned if I do, damned if I don't." He sighed, fingering a bruise on his chin. "Not a lot of choice here."

"You could do a runner," Sango flicked a suggestible look his way. "Now. I could look the other way."

Inuyasha wrinkled his nose. "Then I'd have two sets of people out for my blood. Double damned, if you like. If the Coalescence doesn't kill me, your father will."

"Yeah. Sorry about that," said Sango rather blithely.

Inuyasha let out a long, juddering breath. He closed his eyes slowly, and his brow pinched at some internal ache. "I'm tired," he said.

"Then sleep," Sango responded simply.

"She'll be ok, won't she?"

"She'll be fine. Miroku's taking care of her, remember? He's the most reliable and competent man I know," she reassured him.

"You obviously don't know many men," said Inuyasha, followed by a small coughing fit.

Sango's face was frosty as it turned to him. "He's a perv enslaved to his dick, but he's no fool. An idiot maybe, but he won't mess up."

Inuyasha's coughs trailed into a husky chuckle that almost left him breathless. "Still bitter about the bigamy, eh? That was probably quite a nasty thing to learn about your friend after he gets strangled by a feather boa. I would have liked to have seen your face."

"I'm holding a knife, Inuyasha."

"Is it anything like your face now?"

"It's a very big knife, Inuyasha."

"Oh, fuck off." Inuyasha pulled a face. "I've been stabbed by bigger. Quite recently, in fact."

Sango was gently miffed. "It's not the size that counts. It's how you use it."

Inuyasha exploded with a sound that was either rather enthusiastic coughing or overzealous laughter. Possibly both. Sango patted his shoulder gingerly. "Alright. It wasn't that funny. You need rest." She tugged the blanket back straight over his chest. "Go to sleep."

Inuyasha stopped laughing. "What if the plane crashes?"

"It won't."

"What'll happen to her in France? I mean – it's a dangerous place. All that wheat-based food produce… What if she's got a wheat-intolerance? She could be killed by a baguette."

Sango's jaw clicked with strained patience. "I'm sure she'd already know if she had wheat allergies."

"And you get weirdoes there too. What if she gets targeted by some Jack-the-Ripper copycat?"

"Jack the Ripper was from London… and he mostly targeted prostitutes. I _think _Kagome would be exempt from the list of victims," said Sango. "Paris is much safer than Tokyo when it comes to muggers, thieves, and murderers. You should know that. You're a murderous, thieving mugger yourself."

The hanyou's chest heaved in frustration. "I know… but I…"

"But you, what?" Sango scowled at him. "She's fine. She'll _be _fine. A tad bit lovesick, are we?"

"No," Inuyasha said quickly, giving her a reproachful glower. "I have no feelings for her."

Sango was unimpressed. "You're feeling something for her."

"Well, I spent ages looking after her and keeping her out of trouble and taking good care of her. So sue me if I feel a little protective of my… handiwork."

"Oh, yes, good care of her." Sango nodded avidly. "Yeah, I even noticed all those burn marks down her legs. That's some remarkable safe-keeping you did there."

"That was different," Inuyasha said delicately. "That was a bomb I accidentally set off next to her… but other than that, she was perfectly safe. She's like a little sister to me. That's all."

"Right," said Sango, pursing her lips in a reasonable manner. "If you're into incest, that is."

"Why, oh why, did I set you free again?"

"Because my father would have had you incarcerated and executed if you hadn't?"

Inuyasha rolled over, away from Sango. "I'm tired," he repeated, faking a feeble cough. "Please leave me to die in peace."

"Suit yourself," Sango said, getting to her feet. She moved over to the window and made a point of peering out over the road. "Window's open, if you want some fresh air," she said with a smile. "And wow, I reckon that drainpipe is strong enough to hold a hanyou. Not that he'd need it, the ground being three feet away and all…"

"Subtle," Inuyasha commented dryly from somewhere inside his pillow.

"My middle name," she agreed, before leaving him to make his own choice.

* * *

"Why do I feel like I'm being kidnapped?" Kagome griped as she watched the arrows on the road zipping beneath the bonnet of the car.

"Because you're sitting in a car with a strange man – a situation you don't recall consenting to?" Miroku flashed her a winning smile. "Relax. We tried to wake you up, but you were having none of it. In the end, we had to bundle you into the car or else we'd miss the flight. As it is, we're pretty damned late."

Kagome rubbed at the growing headache behind her temples. "Is that why you're driving like a nutter?"

"Like a what now?" He swung the wheel to veer between a rather large van and a delicate looking scooter carrying a youth with a dubiously stacked pile of boxes. Both the youth and the van driver looked equally pissed off as Miroku wriggled past them. A low groan escaped Kagome's throat as her stomach lurched along with the erratic motions of the car. "Hey!" Miroku began brightly, "You're lucky we got loaned this car. Normally we would have had to make the trip in a taxi and on the tube. You wouldn't have liked that. You're a pretty girl. You would have been groped mercilessly."

Kagome shifted nervously towards her door, dismayed to find it was locked.

"Can you believe they just gave me a licence when I died?" he carried on, more to himself than to Kagome. "When I was alive, I kept failing tremendously, but now that I'm dead, it seems to be a god-given right that I should be allowed to drive. Very odd."

"Watch out for that bike!"

"What bike?"

"Uh… never mind." Kagome pressed her hands over her eyes. "It's probably five miles behind us by now."

"You don't look very well," Miroku commented, giving her a calculating look that he probably shouldn't have done whilst driving.

"I don't feel very well," she agreed. "I need a shower. I need sleep. I need fresh clothes and a decent meal. And I didn't even get to say goodbye."

"To who?" Miroku asked. "Your family?"

Strangely, her family hadn't occurred to her just yet. "No," she said, the surprise evident in her voice. "I meant Inuyasha."

"Oh." Miroku was quiet for a moment. "Well, he still had a fever when we left, so I doubt it would have been worthwhile."

"Is he going to be alright?" she asked.

Her kamikaze chauffeur gave her a reassuring smile. "If he was going to die, he would have died last night. He's on the mend, so don't fret your beautiful head."

Normally compliments like that would have her blushing self-consciously, but today, she felt like a corpse. Compliments, smiles, and small talk hit some kind of invisible barrier she'd erected around herself and fell flat at her feet. She couldn't even summon a polite smile. She was too tired. And one look in the mirror behind the sun visor was enough to remind her of the horrendous new hairstyle she was sporting, along with the black hammocks dangling beneath each eye. Her lips were chapped, and her skin was dry. The fundamental respect for hygiene, style, and basic skin-care that she'd picked up in Yuka's salon was dying a sobbing death.

"Oh, I almost forgot." Miroku pointed to the glove compartment. "Your new glasses are in there, Miss Kent."

Her respectabilities died on the spot. Kagome put on the glasses and stared at her reflection, unimpressed. "I look like Buddy Holly," she whispered. "And my pores are a mess. This mirror is very unflattering… I think it's actually zooming in on the flaws…"

"What flaws? You look dazzling!" Miroku declared.

Kagome didn't buy it for a second. "I think I'm getting wrinkles…"

"Ok, now you're just being silly."

"I could do with some Zero-G right now."

"Zero-G?" Miroku frowned. "Wait, you mean G-Force, right?"

Kagome gave him a stone-dead glower through her plastic lenses.

"Oh, look!" Miroku pointed up through the windscreen rather needlessly at a low-flying plane, though he was probably just trying to divert her glare elsewhere. "A plane! We're about five minutes away from Narita airport."

But five minutes turned out to be fifteen as the traffic condensed and grew thicker. Miroku's impatience was well concealed in his manner, save for the irritable tapping of fingers against the steering wheel and the way his palm kept hitting the horn. When they finally made it into the car park, he succeeded in pulling the car to a diagonal halt across three parking spaces. "We'll be lucky if it hasn't already taken off," he said hurriedly as he unloaded their luggage from the boot.

The luggage was made up of only one bag – Miroku's. Kagome had nothing but the clothes on her back and the glasses in her hand. It all served to remind Kagome of her true position.

She was Miroku's other piece of baggage.

"Come, come!" Miroku ushered her in front of him as he set a speedy pace towards the lift on the far wall. "Now, a few things we should get sorted before we get to check in. You're my lovely new wife and I'm your dashing new hubby. We're on a trip to France for our honeymoon where we will be staying a fortnight in Paris at a hotel. Let's say… _Le Grande _Hotel, ok? You're Kyoko, I'm Daisuke. We have a fish called Fred. We love Fred very much. We met over Fred. I'm a veterinary nurse and you're a… a fish enthusiast or something."

"I hate my new life," she droned as she was pushed into the awaiting elevator. The doors closed behind them with a bing, and a voice that was uncannily similar to the one in Kikyo's elevator informed them that they were going down. Kagome shivered.

"It's just for the duration of the flight," Miroku consoled her. "Your new life begins the moment you step out of the French airport."

"Hum," Kagome hummed. She wasn't keen on the idea.

They said nothing more till the doors opened out onto a busy foyer. There was a great crowd of people waiting to enter the elevator who politely stepped aside to let them out. Miroku started forward, then seemed to think better of it and manoeuvred Kagome to walk in front of him. Either she was being used as some kind of human shield, or he was keeping a close eye on her. Probably the latter. She'd often felt the same kind of fussiness with Inuyasha.

Kagome had no idea where they were going. It was up to Miroku to shout the occasional directions, "Left – no, the other left! Over the bridge!" Eventually they came through a set of automatic doors to greet the tail end of a very long queue to the check-in desks.

"Oh dear." Miroku hissed through his teeth and shook back a sleeve to look at his watch. "Right. Um. Ok, right."

Kagome folded her arms and rolled her eyes to the domed ceiling. A plane with a black belly passed overhead, momentarily blocking out the light. A nasal woman was announcing the names of the people about to miss their flights. Was she and Miroku among them? He hadn't told her what their surnames were supposed to be.

"Ok!" Miroku whirled on Kagome. "This'll take a while, so here's some money. Why don't you go to the tuck shop and buy yourself a snack and a magazine or something?"

Kagome felt like a child being sent on an errand. "Do you want anything?" she asked, out of force of habit. She _was _a considerate and polite girl. Or she had been at some point in her life…

"Peach Tea if they have it, thanks." Miroku shuffled forward as the queue moved a few inches. "And a Playboy magazine."

Kagome stared at him.

Miroku stared straight back, still smiling.

The man had no shame, she decided. "Alright." She turned and walked away.

"I'll meet you by the phones!" Miroku called after her.

The queue at the tuck shop was almost as bad as the one at customs, Kagome discovered. While it only took her thirty seconds to locate the items she wanted (and thirty seconds more to sum up the courage to pick up the lewd Playboy magazine), it took almost ten minutes to pay for it all. Even so, when she reached the phones and peered between the escalators to check Miroku's progress, he was still roughly in the same place as before.

Kagome settled down on a blue plastic chair and stared at the wall.

Then, for a change of pace, she stared at the man opposite who was using one of the payphones.

"… Yes, Ma, for crying out loud, I packed clean underwear… no, look, I really have to go – my flight's leaving in five minutes… yes, I'm eating ok… I'll be fine, Ma… I really have to go… yes, she said she'd pick me up…"

Kagome looked at the change in her hand.

"Have to go now, Ma… goodbye… yes, goodbye… I love you too… bye – bye." The man put the phone down quickly and gathered his suitcase before making a relieved exit.

Slowly, Kagome stood up. She peered distractedly at the queue at the check-in and made her way to the phone.

It was hardly a conscious decision. Her hands were moving with more purpose than her mind, and she soon found herself lifting the receiver and dialling her home phone number. Her heart pounded as the line rang in her ear. It squeezed painfully in her chest when her mother's painfully familiar voice answered softly.

"Hello?" her mother asked again.

Kagome's mouth opened, but no words could claw their way out. There were so many things she wanted to say at that one moment in time that they all clogged in her throat and choked her. She didn't realise she was crying until she tasted the salt on her lips.

"Oh, for goodness sake," she heard her mother say, her voice sounding further away. "We need to tell Kikyo to get a flip phone. This is the tenth arse call this week-"

"Wait," Kagome blurted out.

There was a pause before her mother's voice returned. "Hello?"

"H…Hello…" Her voice was weak and cracked with exhaustion and emotion. She couldn't have expected her mother to recognise her voice, but she was slightly disappointed when she didn't.

"Can I help you?" her mother asked hesitantly, obviously realising that she was talking to a weirdo.

Kagome's mouth worked for a moment. Simple things like 'It's me – Kagome' or 'I'm alive' were dancing on the tip of her tongue. But then they were gone. She felt like she was talking to a stranger rather than her own mother. "No… sorry. Wrong number." It wasn't the right time.

"Alright." Her mother still sounded perturbed. "Goodbye."

"Bye." But the line had already gone dead.

Kagome replaced the receiver in its cradle and idly wiped the unshed tears from her eyes. She took a moment to gather herself before turning around.

She came face to face with Miroku.

Had he been Inuyasha, she would have been subjected to a mighty wrath. But all Miroku did was smile gently and hold out a boarding pass for her. "All done here?" he asked.

Kagome said nothing. She took her documents without meeting his eye.

"Ready to go?" he asked.

"Yes." She nodded, feeling more sure of herself. "I'm ready. Let's go."

* * *

Sango was picking idly at the scabs on her knuckles when the phone rang in her pocket. The screen told her it was Miroku, but even so, she answered the phone in an enquiring tone. "Hello?"

"It's me," he greeted cheerfully.

"Hello, you," Sango responded, not so cheerfully. "What's the situation?"

"Took off about fifteen minutes ago. I would have called earlier, but they only just gave us the go ahead to use mobiles." Miroku punctuated this with a sigh. "Twelve hour flight, they say. This is going to be _so _much fun."

"The thought of your prolonged suffering gives me fuzzy feelings." Sango smirked.

"Any prolonged thought of me gives you fuzzy feelings, I know."

_Walked into that one, _Sango accepted reluctantly. She rolled her eyes to the ceiling of the motel corridor and mouthed a curse word at it. "So how's our ward?"

"She's ok. In the toilet at the moment."

"Already?" Sango sat up.

"Yeah. I'm getting kinda worried. She's been in there for ten minutes now."

Sango's frown dissipated. "What did you do?"

"Nothing!" he protested. "I was just getting into character – you know how we're posing as newlyweds, right? All I did was give her knee a little squeeze, and she seemed to take offence. She slapped me, Sango."

Sango gritted her teeth. "Oh, poor Miroku."

"And it was really hard, too…"

"If you touch her again, I'm getting on the next flight over just so I can kick fresh French shit out of you. Got that?" she snapped, fingers drumming against her knee.

"Hey!" He sounded hurt. "There's no need to be so colourful. I'm getting enough of that from the kid."

It was time to get back to the matter at hand. "So there's been no problems?" she asked.

"Nope, no problems." His voice faded slightly as if the phone had moved away from his mouth. There was an aggrieved sigh. "Except these seat are really uncomfortable, and the designer has obviously not given any consideration for that small minority of passengers who actually have legs-"

"Miroku!"

"Oh, you mean real problems? Nah. Got through customs fine. The kid sulked a lot, and her face was kinda scaring the kids behind us, but I managed to convince the guards that she was just tired. We'd had a busy wedding night, after all."

"Miroku!"

"But it's fine! I mean, sure, she's kind of blowing our cover right now by hiding in the lavatory after her husband gave her a comforting pat on the knee, but I don't think that matters now. In half an hour, we'll be out of Japanese airspace. Then it'll be 'so long, Japan!'"

Something squeezed in Sango's chest. "You'll be gone for good."

A pause filled the line. When Miroku spoke again, his tone was light. "Pretty much, yeah. Will you miss me?"

"Like a hole in the head."

He laughed. Sango allowed herself to smile now that he couldn't see her.

"Ah, Sango. I always loved you best."

The smile faded – replaced by a sudden flush of red across her cheeks. "Shut up," she muttered.

"Oh, hey! How's Inuyasha?"

Sudden changes in topic were the norm when Miroku was concerned. In the same breath, he could go from giving you the sweetest compliment in your life to asking how the weather was. Sango glanced at the hanyou's closed door. "He woke up. I told him that Dad was sending him back to the Coalescence. He fell asleep."

"And… he hasn't tried to bail yet?"

Sango stood up and quietly moved towards the door. She paused a moment before opening it and peering into the room.

An Inuyasha shaped bulge was snoring gently under the duvet. Sango glanced at the window that she'd purposefully left open. Someone had locked it again.

ango could take a hint. With a sigh, she went to sit back down in the hall. "No. No, he hasn't."

_You fool_.

* * *

**Fackyews**

No fackyews today because I've forgotten most of the questions that have been posed since the last chapter. But here are some quick answers to the most frequently asked questions off the top of my head:

_Yes, _

_No, _

_Not for a while,_

_12 inches._

Thank you for your time.


	19. 18 Months Later

**Author's Note: **Well, Happy Valentine's Day. I hope everyone has a thoroughly romantic time, and don't worry if you don't have a boyfriend/girlfriend (like me), because at least you're probably not throwing up every half hour (…like me).

* * *

**Zero-G**

**Chapter 18**

**18 Months Later**

The air was sweet with the smell of freshly baking bread. Easy French conversation wove around her like a comforting blanket as she tapped her pen thoughtfully against her bottom lip. A waiter passed by, stopping momentarily to ask if she wanted anything else. She replied in a thick Japanese accent. "Non, merci."

The waiter left, and Kagome shifted her chair further around the table until she could cross her legs in the sun. She liked the sensation of just lounging in the light without a care in the world. Absently, she licked her finger and dabbed up the remaining flaky crumbs of what was left of her _pain du chocolat_.

Several small sheets of paper lay before her on the table. Two were already covered in illegible scribbles and larges crosses. Bringing a fresh piece to the top of the pile, Kagome stared at it for a long time, sucking the tip of her pen while she thought.

Eventually she put pen to paper.

_Dear Mom, Grandpa, and Souta,_

Kagome paused, unsure of what to write next. Her previous attempts at starting the letter were littered all over the table. What could she say that explained it all? What could she write to bring them comfort and reassurance?

But perhaps this was more for herself than her family?

She glanced at the drafts briefly before doggedly moving on to the next line.

_We're having some great weather at the moment. I've never seen anything quite like it. I think I nearly have a tan! Or at least, I hope I will, once the sunburn goes down. I'm virtually as pink as my dress!_

_Not much has happened since I last wrote to you. You remember Serge and Flora? They invited me to Nice to spend two weeks at their parents' villa. It was beautiful. They live at the top of a valley, looking down at this great big lake – I forget its name – and they have a special pool that, if you look at it from the patio, looks like it's cascading over the edge and down the hill._

_I think that was the first time I managed to speak French for two solid weeks. It really helped me improve. They tell me I still have an atrocious accent, but at least I can get by. When I arrived, all I knew was how to say 'Bonjour!'. That got old pretty quickly. My grammar's still dreadful, but I'm working on that._

_Miroku tried to stop me from going to Nice. I'm beginning to get the impression that he's not just a fellow refugee, but rather he's been told to guard me. He was quite adamant about me staying in Paris. He let up eventually, but it made me wonder…_

_Anyway, there was nothing to worry about. Serge was there. Did I tell you he's in the army? You'd like him. He's really nice and he has soft brown hair and brilliant green eyes. He asked me what my plans were for the future… but I couldn't give him an answer. I don't know._

Kagome sat back for a moment and read through what she'd written. At the end, she shook her head with an annoyed click of the tongue and crossed out the last two paragraphs.

_My hair has nearly grown back. It really didn't suit me short, so I'm glad. Just a few more inches to go!_

_I also got a job. It's only for the weekend since I'm busy with schoolwork for the rest of the week (extra busy because it's all in French!). I know washing dishes in a restaurant isn't exactly glamorous, but at least I'm picking up lots of useful curse words from the chef. I'm steadily adding them to my growing vocabulary._

_Other than that, I'm fine. I wish you were here with me. I like it here. I like the freedom and the clothes and all the colours you're allowed to wear and how freely (and loudly) people talk and argue about politics without consequence. But I miss home. Badly._

_You don't know what you've got 'till it's gone. But also, you don't know what you haven't got until it's given to you. I feel lucky to be in such a vibrant place. But I'd feel better if you were here with me._

_I hope you're all well and that I see you again soon-_

"Bonjour!"

Kagome jumped as someone threw themselves down into the chair opposite her. It was Miroku, complete with a glass of wine, a dodgy beret, and a wide grin. The only item needed to complete the utter perversion of culture was a baguette. Under his arm. Preferably accompanied by a string of garlic around his neck too.

At least one thing could be said for this man: he never threw himself into something without full conviction. This explained how eagerly he embraced (and abused) French culture. Kagome couldn't remember a time he hadn't taken advantage of the double kiss-on-the-cheek greeting – especially when the person he was greeting was female. And today was no exception.

"Where've you been?" she asked, after Miroku had pecked her on both cheeks and sat down again.

"The class ran on a bit. Yolande – lovely girl, but a bit dim – she felt she needed extra tuition," he told her.

"Uh huh." It was probably best not to ask what kind of extra tuition she was getting. She leant forward until her upper arms were touching the table edge, concentrating on her letters in an effort to ignore him..

But Miroku had a habit of answering questions that hadn't been asked. "_Oral_ tuition mostly," he said, winking at her.

Kagome groaned and dropped her forehead to the table with a bang.

"What?" He shrugged innocently. "Her pronunciation is terrible. She just isn't getting these glottal stops and… um… what are you writing?"

"A letter to my family." Kagome responded lightly, batting her eyelids at him as if butter wouldn't melt in her mouth.

Miroku stared at her. Some muscle under his eye twitched as all the playfulness seemed to drain from his expression. And just when she thought his face would crack like a ceramic mask, he threw back his head and downed his glass of wine in three gulps.

He wasn't going to say it. He didn't need to. Everyone and their mother had told Kagome that communication with anyone back in Japan was prohibited. "I'm not sending it or anything," she told him with a roll of the eyes. "I'm not stupid."

"Why do you write them then?" he asked, wheezing a bit. It seemed he'd underestimated the zing of the alcohol.

"I don't know," she said, offering a lame shrug. "It just helps me sort things out in my head. When I see them again, I can give them the letters so that they'll understand what really happened. And this way I'm less likely to forget something. And I'm terrible at explaining things. They know that. I'm sure they'd take sensical letters over nonsensical Kagome."

Miroku looked at her mournfully, as if she had a beloved pet who'd just died and he didn't know how to break the news to her. That pitying you're-too-young-to-understand look which everyone liked to give her. Kagome hated it.

"How many have you written now?" Miroku asked lightly.

"Lost count." She hadn't really. The letters were numbering over two hundred now.

"And you've not sent any?" He raised an eyebrow at her.

"I'm not stupid," she said again, glowering. "If even one consonant of these letters finds its way into Kikyo's hands, I'll be deader than I'm supposed to be right now. I know my life sucks at all sorts of unreasonable levels, but I prefer it to having my cousin declare hunting season on my _derrière_ again. If I can't let my family in on the truth, I can at least pretend I am."

"We can't go back to Japan, Kagome," Miroku told her softly. "Not until the situation cleans up."

If they were waiting for the situation to clean up, then they'd be waiting a long time. Kagome had seen the news. She knew that Japan's state of affairs had been front page news for years now. Every newspaper was happily publishing mollifying tales originating from her homeland. Government cover-ups. Police corruption. Protestors being rounded up and executed without fear of the Japanese media reporting it.

Things were getting worse. At this rate, Kagome doubted she would ever get to see her family again.

"Well, then I'll just keep writing them until things get better," she told him shortly. "Whenever that will be. Even if I have to wait till Kikyo dies of old age, I'm sure my family would want to know about the important developments that have happened to me since I wasn't there to share it with them first-hand."

Miroku dragged one of the drafts over to his side of the table before she could stop him. "Important developments such as the soft brownness of Serge's hair?" He grinned wickedly at her.

Kagome lunged across the table and snatched it back before he read about the 'greenness of the eyes' part.

"There's a lot of bright redness about your cheeks, Kagome-"

"Shut up!" she rebuked. "It's none of your business."

Miroku's grin refused to dissipate. "He's too old for you."

Kagome gave a derisive snort. "He's nineteen!"

"He'll be on his pension soon." Miroku stroked his chin. "You don't want to get involved with his kind, Kagome. I know his sort. Fashionable young man on the cusp of adulthood, routinely seeking the company of minors rather than women his own age-"

"I'm sixteen!" Kagome exploded. "And I'm seventeen next week, mind you. So you'd better get me a present."

"Maybe," Miroku responded, averting his eyes in an aloof manner.

"An expensive present," Kagome added, smiling.

Miroku feigned offence. "Nothing but the best for my favourite girl."

She beamed in response and hopped out of her seat to kiss him on both cheeks. "I have to go get some food supplies for tonight, or I'll starve and die," she told him happily. "I'll see you again tomorrow, same time, same place?"

"Sure."

"Don't be so late next time," she warned him, "or I'll tell your nice-but-dim Yolande who you happened to be in a past life."

"Ouch."

"Indeed." Kagome gathered up her handbag and stuffed her letter drafts carelessly inside it. "I'll see you tomorrow. Bye then!"

She set off down the cobbled street with her pink dress swishing easily around her legs. Miroku watched her walk away with a sigh.

For all her smiles and playful banter, Kagome Higurashi was a very unhappy girl. She was still the same girl who'd cried away the full twelve hour flight to France in the bathroom of an aeroplane.

She hadn't gotten any stronger. She'd just learnt to act.

* * *

The Japanese embassy lent her a hundred and fifty euros a month to pay for her living expenses. At first they had given her a room at the embassy and provided her with French lessons and food on a regular basis. But within six months, the arrangements had been changed. More people were coming and going from the embassy – very important looking people. Pretty soon there had been no place for a fifteen year old Japanese girl of relatively low importance.

She'd been given a flat and a form with which to enrol at the local school. Aside from the monthly cheque, they'd effectively washed their hands of her.

A hundred and fifty euros had seemed like a lot at first, but Kagome had soon discovered that if she wasn't careful, the money was soon gone. Between paying rent and providing herself with food, all that Kagome was left with at the end of the month was a few cents. Sometimes not even that. There were some days when she'd had to go hungry because the money had not been enough.

Fortunately Miroku was usually there, dropping by every now and then to pay off her frequent debts to the landlady downstairs. He could afford it now that he had a proper job as a teacher at the university. He'd commented that it was a step up from his usual line of work.

"There are more ladies panting over me, for a start," he'd said.

Kagome suspected that half his students were only taking Japanese lessons in order to find an excuse to talk to him. He _was _quite good-looking. Problem was, he _knew_ it and utilised it to an alarming degree.

But while Miroku could often help her out with the money problems, there was not much he could do to help her at school. Kagome had had to dive in the deep end while still learning to come to grips with the tricky language. None of the other students had spoken Japanese, and most regarded her with wariness – and even dislike in some cases. She'd learnt that the foreign view of Japan was quite different from what she'd expected. To her French classmates, it was a country brimming with terrorists, demons, corrupt powers and poverty. In their eyes, she was nothing but a refugee.

It had been almost unbearable to attend the school at first. She didn't understand half of what she was being taught, and no one seemed to want to cut her any slack.

But she'd fought through it. She'd forced her tongue around the silly, flowery words and nailed her Maths tests thanks to the universal language of numbers and symbols. She'd gradually begun to communicate with the others, and soon they'd warmed to her and treated her with respect. She'd only met Flora in the following year, and ever since then they'd been fast friends, despite the occasional language problem.

Things were getting better all the time.

At least… that was what Kagome kept telling herself.

So why did she feel so heavy-hearted as she dragged her brown bag full of groceries up the stairwell? Why did she keep sighing every time she turned the key in the door? Why did her heart seem to beat such a dull, pained rhythm every time she looked around her flat and surveyed her meagre possessions.

_This is all I have now,_ she thought. _And it all belongs to someone called Kyoko Sano…_

That had been Miroku's idea.

"From now on," he'd told her, back when she'd first arrived at the embassy, "whenever anyone asks for your name or asks for your signature, you tell them it's _Kyoko Sano_. You're not to write 'Kagome Higurashi' down ever again. Not on your school test papers. Not on your rent cheques. Get used to it."

But even while she dutifully wrote down her fake name wherever there was a '_Name:'_ , she insisted that most people just call her Kagome.

"Just a nickname," she told them. "I prefer it."

Kagome sank down on her mustard coloured sofa and let the bag of food rest on the floor. She stared listlessly at the small, box-shaped television in the corner without ever really seeing it. Her ugly black monstrosity of a clock was ticking away relentlessly above the kitchen units with its usual loud fervour. She'd tried replacing it once with something quieter, but she'd only wound up switching it back.

There was something comforting about the black clock. Its wooden ticks filled the void in her flat, making it seem less empty than it really was. When she'd taken it down and removed the batteries, she'd suddenly been hit by how stale her life was. She could almost see the dust settling on everything – including her shoulders. It had been all too easy to see the emptiness that she'd wrapped around herself, and suddenly it had been terrifying.

So, like covering an unsightly table with a blanket, Kagome put the clock back in its place and let its hollow ticks fill her flat. The void was still there, but at least it was less noticeable.

Sometimes Kagome left the television turned on all night, just so she could sleep…

A knock sounded from the door.

Kagome roused herself and looked towards the source, frowning as she wondered who it might be. If it was the landlady, she was going to keep quiet.

The knock came again. Kagome chewed her lower lip. The sound was a little too hesitant to be her landlady, and the only other person who knew where she lived was Miroku – and he never bothered knocking now that he had a key.

"Ah, it's probably Kikyo come to kill me at last…" she muttered with a wry smile. She stood and moved across the small room to the door, leaving the chain on just in case it _was _Kikyo. She opened it cautiously.

Her mouth dropped open.

"Hello, Kagome."

"Serge!" she cried in surprise. "What are you doing here?"

He smiled at her. "I came to see you, of course."

"Oh."

Neither of them moved. Kagome continued to stare in shock as Serge shifted his feet.

"Can I come in?" he asked.

"No," Kagome said quickly. At his shocked look, she explained. "Someone set loose a raging bull in here. It's a mess. Only qualified people are allowed."

"I think I can manage," he said, laughing. "I live with Flora, remember?"

"Right. Um, ok. Hang on." Kagome promptly shut the door in his face and turned around to despair at the state of her flat. Suddenly it didn't seem so empty. It was bursting with crap! Embarrassing crap!

"Oh god," she whined to herself and shot off around the living room, gathering all the knickers and bras that were lying in plain view. She stuffed them into the adjoining bedroom and shut the door, wishing she had a padlock. There was only enough time to cram the dirty plates on the sideboard into the cupboard under the sink. Faintly satisfied with her progress (she had done in ten seconds what normally took her two weeks), she removed the chain from the door and opened it for the bemused French boy. "Ok, it's safe now," she told him.

"Right…" He inched inside, looking over the flat carefully as if he thought there might be the odd bear trap lying around.

"Have a seat," Kagome pointed at the sofa. "You want a drink?"

"Oh, sure. Just water, thank you."

Somehow, Kagome managed to salvage two clean glasses and returned to the sofa with drinks in hand. "How did you know where I lived?" she asked. "I don't recall ever telling you…"

"Well, you said you lived on _Rue de Poitou_. All I had to do was wander around and ask if anyone knew where the pretty Japanese girl lived." The corners of his eyes crinkled in amusement as he took a sip from his drink.

Kagome sipped her own drink, hoping the water would cool her cheeks. "You think I'm pretty?" she squeaked.

"No," he answered solemnly. "I think you're beautiful."

Kagome chugged her water. It saved her from having to think of something modest and witty with which to respond.

Serge was peering around her flat with interest. "Did you say you lived alone?" he asked.

"Uh… yeah." She jammed the drink back to her lips, refusing to elaborate further. She didn't particularly want to discuss her solitude.

"Where do your parents live?" he asked. She could see it was just simple curiosity. Perhaps not even that. He was probably not even remotely interested and was just filling the distance between them with small talk.

"Back in Japan," she answered truthfully. "I was sent here to escape some… some conflicts."

"I see," he nodded. "It must be hard living alone, so far away from your family."

He didn't know the half of it.

Serge sniffed. "I like your… lamp."

Kagome followed his gaze and realised he was just being polite. "I didn't choose it," she said quickly. "All the furniture and stuff came with the flat. I'd burn it all, but my landlady would lynch me."

"Well, it has a nice retro kind of feel," he assured her. "It's quite cosy."

Kagome couldn't disagree more, but in the interests of maintaining a friendly relationship, she kept her mouth shut.

"I was wondering if you'd like to come for a walk?" he said lightly, as if it had only just occurred to him.

Kagome blinked. "What? Now?"

"Sure."

"Um… ok." It was all Kagome could do to keep from giggling like an idiot who'd just won the lottery. That would undoubtedly be a terrible turn-off. So instead she just smiled calmly, pretending that being asked to walk with beautiful European men was a daily occurrence. "Let me just get changed…" she said, gesturing towards her bedroom. "I spilt orange juice on my lap this morning, and I'm sure that you don't want to be walking around with a girl who looks like she's wet herself… and… um… you probably didn't need to know that." Ok, so she didn't quite have the 'calm and coy' demeanour perfected yet. "Just wait there," she ordered and disappeared into her bedroom.

After five minutes of anonymous banging and shuffling, she called to the patiently waiting Serge. "I'll just be a minute!"

Five minutes after that, she finally emerged wearing a bright red cashmere jumper and a wide smile. She'd swapped her skirt for a pair of faded blue jeans and shoes more appropriate for walking.

Serge smiled when he saw her. "How did you know red was my favourite colour?"

Kagome's smile faltered.

Serge noticed. "What's the matter?"

"Nothing!" She jumped, feeling guilty. "You just reminded me of someone, that's all…"

Looking troubled, Serge stood up and offered her his arm. "Are you coming?"

Kagome had no idea if the linking of arms was another bizarre European custom that was perfectly innocent – like the kissing on the cheek business – or if it meant something much more intimate. Either way, she liked the chivalrous gesture and readily accepted.

* * *

There was nothing quite as romantic as taking a walk along the River Seine as the sky began to fade to red and the street lanterns began flicking into life. It was a beautiful evening, and the air was still warm and sweet. Kagome inhaled deeply and let out a satisfied sigh.

"This was a great idea," she told Serge with a smile.

So great, in fact, that every other person in Paris seemed to have had the same idea. The pair could hardly move down the quayside for fear of bumping into half a dozen couples coming the other way. And everyone seemed rather friendly with one another. If they weren't holding hands, they were linked at the elbows. If they weren't kissing chastely across candlelit tables, they were enthusiastically pawing at each other under the hanging baskets of flowers. Kagome felt quite the prude. Compared to most couples out for an evening stroll that night, she and Serge might as well have been three miles apart.

Serge was engaging her in idle chitchat. "How are your studies going?" he asked, after they'd beaten the topic of fruit flies and their incredibly reproductive tendencies to death. How they'd gotten onto _that _subject, Kagome had forgotten.

"Quite well," she replied with an enthusiastic nod. "I think the Japanese curriculum was a little ahead of the French one. But I took so long to learn French that I'm a little behind. But at least I was able to start some fresh subjects this year."

"Oh?"

"Psychology," Kagome supplied. "So far it's the only subject I'm managing to keep on top of."

"Ah." Serge smiled as they sidestepped around a couple who'd stopped in their tracks to pet each other. "You have an interest in what makes people tick then?"

"I suppose so, yes," Kagome said with a shrug. Her eyes grew hooded as her arms swung carelessly by her sides. "There's a lot of people I know… I used to know, who did things I couldn't understand. I think I was hoping that psychology might give me an insight as to why they did some of the things they did."

"I see." Serge's smile faded. He seemed to sense her shift in mood. "And is it working?"

Kagome sent him a sad smile. "So far, all psychology has taught me is that Freud had an unhealthy obsession with his mother… and… certain parts of the male anatomy." She sighed. "No explanation yet as to why everyone is so bonkers."

Her companion was strangely quiet. For a moment, Kagome worried that she'd ruined the mood by letting her silly angst seep into the conversation. But a second later, Serge brightened and turned to her. "Still," he said, lightly. "You'll be fine at school. You're a smart girl."

Kagome grimaced. "People at school think I'm stupid."

Serge came to an abrupt stop. "Why?" he asked, staring at her in shock.

"Because I missed so much education." Kagome's eyebrows tilted up as she looked at him helplessly. "Because I don't grasp things as quickly as everyone else. And because of my accent. They think I'm slow."

Serge snorted. "_They're_ the stupid ones."

"When people talk fast, I have to ask them to slow down," she admitted miserably. "Then they look at me like I'm five years old."

"Don't worry about it," he assured her, shrugging the matter off. "You'll get better. And you already speak more languages than most of _them_. Besides… I like your accent. It's cute."

Kagome had to look away. She was blushing too hard again. She knew he was probably just saying that to make her feel better… but what if he'd meant it?

"Ooh, ice cream!" Serge, completely ignorant of the colour of her cheeks, pointed towards the ice cream parlour further down the street. "Would you like some?"

It would probably help her to blush less often. "Sure!" she agreed eagerly.

"There's a queue. You wait here and I'll bring you some. What would you like?"

"Strawberry."

He nodded and jogged away to join the back of the line. Kagome turned around and mooched over to the railings overlooking the river. The sky was growing quite dark now, and the lovely green waters of the Seine had turned an inky black, reflecting the lights of the nearby cafés and restaurants. Across the street was a department store. Its brightly lit advertisements in the windows were rippling across the surface of the water, coaxing Kagome to look up at shop window.

She instantly regretted it.

Kikyo's face looked back at her from across the river. It was a beautiful face, with a coy smile and inviting eyes. Her skin had been airbrushed to perfection, although Kagome already knew that Kikyo was about as close to flawless as they came. Her dress was white, full of lace and ruffles styled in an elegant manner which was still contemporary and young. Across her smoothly tanned shoulder read the embossed, silver words, "G-Force."

Kagome could have spat.

But she did nothing. She simply turned her back to the river and the department store and appraised Serge's backside instead. There wasn't much she could do about G-Force. The advertising had started almost a month ago. The girls at school had gone wild over the miracle product. Half were using it daily. The other half had to save up the money, as Kikyo had not marketed the cream cheaply.

Flora had tried to get Kagome involved in the G-Force boom.

"Look!" she'd said, brandishing her hand at Kagome. "It totally faded that scar I got in Eurocamp! And just look how smooth it makes your skin! You should have a go. This stuff is brilliant!"

"Are you implying that I need intensive skin therapy?" Kagome had inquired evenly, refusing to let Flora anywhere near her with the miracle cream.

"Possibly. If this stuff can make Mama look thirty again, then it can probably get rid of those bags under your eyes."

Kagome pouted at the memory. "I like my bags," she muttered contrarily to no one but herself. But she still felt slightly ill. Now that Paris, the cosmetic capital of the world, had been swept away by Zero-G – no – by _Kikyo Higurashi's G-Force_ – all hope of getting the formula back had been dashed. What would her friends say if she stood up one day and announced that _she_, Kagome, was the legitimate owner and developer of the wonder cream they all wore on their faces?

She'd be laughed out of the city.

Let Kikyo have her cream and enjoy it, she decided wearily. Kagome couldn't have cared less about such a trivial product now. In fact, she despised it more than anything else as it had brought her nothing but pain and misery for the best part of two years. Kagome wanted nothing more to do with it.

"My mother often says that you can tell a lot about a girl from the flavours she chooses."

Kagome blinked. Serge seemed to have popped back into existence beside her, holding a delightful looking ice cream in his hand. She took it gratefully and thanked him with a smile. "What's that then?" she asked, taking a nibble of the wafer. Irritatingly, she'd lost her appetite.

"They say that girls who pick chocolate are the indulgent kind. They love to spoil themselves and would probably be best suited to marry a man with a lot of money." Serge leant against the railing beside her, gazing easily over the river that she could not bear to see. "The mint fiends, on the other hand, are always willing to try new things. Very open-minded people, the mint-lovers."

Judging from the peppermint green trickles Serge was licking off his fingers, he probably qualified as a mint-fiend.

"Vanilla girls, on the other hand, are quite the stable crowd," he continued. "Cool-headed, sensible… intelligent. Good with money and careers."

"What about the strawberry variety, then?" Kagome's curiosity was getting the better of her. Kikyo and G-Force had temporarily been pushed from her mind.

"Ah, now, _strawberry_ girls are very interesting indeed." He gave her a sidelong look. "They're bright, they're playful and they're strong… both inside and outside. They have more spirit and beauty than any other flavour. They won't take things sitting down, and they go through life with a smile. If they fall down, they just get back up, laugh, and carry on. Nothing holds them down. You're lucky if you can stop a strawberry girl long enough to notice you. You're beyond lucky if you can get them to stay."

Kagome didn't know quite what to say to that. "Huh," seemed about all she could sum up.

Serge turned to her with a sigh. "Which makes me wonder… why on earth did _you _pick Strawberry?"

"What!" Kagome squeaked. "Are you saying I'm not a strawberry candidate? I'll have you know I'm very spirited! A-And playful. And pretty. I think. I scrub up alright when I bother to put some mascara on. I know I look pretty ropey these days because of all the work, but I'm not ugly or anything, right? Oh, god. You think I'm ugly-"

"Kagome." He held up his hand to interrupt her before she battered her self-esteem into the ground completely. "You are a strawberry and more. You're beautiful, you're smart, and you're the most kind hearted girl I've ever met. You put up with fools that no one should have to, and you don't complain."

Flustered, Kagome turned her face to the cobbles. "I think I complained about five minutes ago…"

He grinned. "I took that as a sign that you liked and trusted me enough to confide in me," he told her gently. She looked at him hesitantly and saw his smile fade. "But something's happened to you, hasn't it?"

Kagome said nothing.

"You _are _this amazing, vibrant girl who can make any old misery guts around here smile just by looking at them."

She had thought this was just a town of extraordinarily happy people…

"But then I see you when you think no one's looking and it's heartbreaking," said Serge, looking to her in earnest. "You have a beautiful smile. But it's not real. You're the most depressed person I know, and it's terrible because you won't let anyone see it."

A frown tugged between Kagome's eyebrows. She slowly turned to face the river with him, unaware that her ice cream was dripping freely over the railing. Her eyes landed on Kikyo's image before dropping to their distorted reflections below. "How come you can see it then?" she asked quietly.

He shrugged with a small huff of laughter. "Because I can hardly take my eyes off you. It's hard to ignore it." He licked up another trickle of mint from his fingers. "Back in Nice? At my parents' house? You were the happiest little thing when you were splashing around in the pool with Flora. But happy little things don't sit for hours in the spare room with their head in their hands."

"Serge!" Kagome whined. "This is depressing. Let's talk about fruit fly sex again!"

"It would have been better if you'd at least cried once, but you never did. Every night. Eleven o'clock. You were up there in the spare room just sitting there, not moving. It was like you just _stopped _when there was no one there to keep you occupied. If you didn't have school, I'm half afraid you'd just sit in your flat gathering dust on the sofa without a care for the rest of the world."

"Rubbish," Kagome dismissed. "I'm perfectly fine. What you're talking about is just my… thinking position."

"Oh, really?" He raised an eyebrow. "What were you thinking about?"

"Lots of things." Kagome replied in the tone of someone who would rather talk about _anything _else. "Whether or not I should have potato or salad with my dinner. The meaning of life. Is this thing on my leg getting bigger. You know, the usual."

Serge looked disbelieving.

"What?" Kagome raised her hands in a surrendering gesture. Strawberry ice cream flicked out everywhere. "What do you want me to say?"

"Nothing," he replied. "I just wanted to let you know that you're not as alone as you think you are. If there's anything I can do for you to cheer you up, then I'll be glad to oblige you."

"That's nice," Kagome murmured, "but I'm fine. Really fine."

"No. _You…" _he trailed off, looking up at the purple sky as if for inspiration. "…are a _crushed _strawberry."

Kagome blinked. "How poetic."

"Creative Writing, D plus," he told her proudly.

He brought a smile to her face, but it was tentative and short lived. In a matter of seconds, the awful, empty expression was back on her face, and he could tell she was a million miles away.

"Look," he said. "I don't want you telling me your life's story and all your traumas and pet peeves as you clearly aren't comfortable with it. But I know there's a reason why you're here, and it's not because you're in an exchange program. Don't think I'm dumb enough to fall for _that._"

Slowly, she swung her gaze back to him. "No," she said thoughtfully. "You're right. I'm really here because my own cousin tried to murder me and a major terrorist organisation wants to finish the job. The only people who know I'm alive are the people who want to kill me. I can't contact anyone I love because I would then be responsible for their deaths."

Serge blinked. "Right…"

He believed her.

Kagome's eyes flew wide. "No – you're not meant to say that! You're meant to laugh and say 'If you don't want to tell me…', right?" She forced a laugh. "Don't take me so seriously!" _Please God, don't take me so seriously or Miroku will wring my neck…!_

"Sorry," Serge grinned apologetically. "I guess that is a bit outlandish." He nodded across the river to the department store. "Next you'll be telling me that you're moonlighting as a G-Force model, right?"

Kagome followed his gaze to Kikyo's advertisement. She pouted. "Don't make me chew your arm off."

"Yeah, I know. Enough people have been noticing the uncanny resemblance, haven't they? That must get annoying." He closed an eye and held up his hand, his thumb and finger at a right angle to frame the advertisement. "She looks a lot like you though."

"She looks like a…" Kagome sought for the right word. "Like a trollop."

"A pretty trollop."

Kagome grabbed his arm threateningly. "Do you think they'll find your body before the Seine washes it out to sea?"

Serge laughed and took swift advantage of her grip on his arm. Showcasing his alarming military skills, he soon had Kagome backed up against the rail and trapped by his arms. He leered pleasantly at her. Kagome had frozen in shock.

"Are you going to kiss me?" she asked bluntly.

He cocked his head. "Depends. Do you want me to?"

Kagome gushed like a schoolgirl at a boy band concert. "Ohyespleasethankyou!"

There should have been a choir of singing angels behind them. Her first kiss was going to be from a gorgeous French boy with nice biceps! In Paris! Beside a river! Nothing could have made the experience more perfect. She'd be telling her grandchildren about this night… and anyone else who sat still long enough, for that matter.

Serge was leaning forward. She caught the scent of minty ice cream on his lips and wondered if he could smell the strawberry on hers. At least, she hoped he could. It would be awful if he could smell the garlic bread she'd snacked on a few hours earlier.

His eyes had shut and he was awfully close

now. Kagome was tilting her chin up to meet him, her eyes drifting closed as well… but a flash of white on the street behind the boy made them snap back open in alarm.

It was only the briefest of glimpses… but Kagome was _certain_.

"Inuyasha…" she whispered, stiffening up in panic.

Serge was confused. "What?"

"Inuyasha… Inuyasha. I saw him. Where is he?" She was mumbling in Japanese, much to Serge's further puzzlement. She strained against his arm to break free, but wound up having to duck underneath it when Serge refused to relent. She ran further onto the street, her voice gaining volume. "Inuyasha?"

"Kagome?" Serge was looking at her, clearly bewildered. "What's the matter?"

She ignored him. She was too busy scanning the heads in the crowd for a pale-haired hanyou. There were too many people on the street, and Kagome, not being especially tall, couldn't see over their heads. So she began beating a path through the couples in what was the most likely direction. "Inuyasha? Inuyasha, where are you! I saw you! Inuyasha!"

Poor, bemused Serge ran after her, probably wondering if she'd suddenly had a mental breakdown.

She couldn't find him. _Why _wasn't he responding to her?

Kagome pushed on through the crowd, stopping occasionally to do a quick three-sixty before rushing on. It was no good. He was probably getting further and further away whilst she faffed around looking for him. She needed a good vantage where she could see the whole street – and quickly.

There! A street sign that jutted up where the quayside railing met the bridge railings. Kagome squeezed her way through the hapless people to haul herself up onto the rails, using the sign post for aid.

She moved too quickly. Her shoes slipped on the metal bars, and she began to fall backwards.

"Kagome!" If Serge hadn't been there, she would have toppled straight into the river. He caught her around the middle and dragged her back to the pavement. "What are you doing? You're going to get yourself killed!"

"Let go, Serge!" She struggled against the nice biceps wrapped around her waist. "I need to see – I can't see anything!"

"What are you talking about?" Serge demanded. "What's the matter?"

"He's here!" Kagome shrieked. "That damn rat-bastard is here!"

People were beginning to turn their way, casting disapproving looks at the wild girl shouting in a foreign language. Kagome couldn't have cared less.

"Kagome, slow down. I can't understand what you're saying-"

Abruptly, Kagome tore away from his grip. "Sorry," she said, remembering herself as she backed away. A nervous hand swept through her hair. "Sorry, I have to go. I'm sorry."

"Go?" Serge frowned at her. "Go where? Kagome, you have to tell me what the matter is."

"I can't – you wouldn't understand." She threw him an apologetic look. "I'm really sorry, but I have to go. I'll call you tomorrow… or something."

She turned and began to run.

Serge shouted after her. "You shouldn't be alone, Kagome! It's not a good idea!"

"No, you're right!" she called over her shoulder without breaking pace. "But I'm not alone – just like you said!" She doubted she'd been alone for quite some time now.

* * *

Miroku lived only a few streets away from Kagome, meaning she didn't have to run far before she found herself at the entrance to his flat. Like hers, it was simply a large, old house that had been cut up and converted for modern use, although unlike hers, it was a great deal bigger and more expensive.

The moment she arrived on the doorstep, her fist lashed out to smash the button next to his flat number. She stopped herself just in time. There was no reason to give the bastard warning and have him crawl out the back window while she hammered on the door. But how on earth was she supposed to get in? She'd left her keys back at her own flat, clearly not anticipating a visit to Miroku as part of her 'stroll' with Serge, and she didn't particularly feel like running all the way home to get them. She had two stitches as it was.

Movement behind the door caught her eye. "Oh!" Kagome quickly rapped her knuckles on the glass pane. "Madame Pinon!"

The older woman blinked owlishly at her through the window. Her eyesight wasn't particularly good, and her hearing was hardly any better. She moved towards the door and eventually broke out into a smile when Kagome's face came into focus. "Kagome!" she declared, opening the door. "How nice to see you. Are you here to see Miroku?"

"Yes. His buzzer isn't working…"

"Ah, well, in you come then." Madame Pinon stepped back to allow her inside, and with a soft farewell, she stepped out into the night.

Kagome squared her shoulders and set off up the stairs.

Flat number four soon loomed before her. From within, she could hear a high, twittering giggle, followed by a soft moan. Either Miroku was discovering his feminine side, or he was discovering someone else's.

Kagome didn't care. She slammed her knuckles against the door so hard that she surely bruised them. She didn't particularly care about that either.

"J-Just a minute!" Miroku called. "If it's about the money – it's in the post – I swear!"

"Miroku! Open this door!"

"Oh, Kagome?"

"_Open the fu-_"

"Alright! Calm down! Just hold on a moment!" Unsubtle whispers could be heard on the other side of the door, as well as a lot of shushing and shuffling. A door closed and someone coughed. After a moment, the door before Kagome swung open and Miroku peered out at her, utilising his ruffled appearance for the 'Why the heck did you wake me up?' pretence.

"Why the heck did you wake me up?" he asked, feigning a wide yawn.

Kagome swept past him into the flat. "Where is he!" she demanded shortly, arms folded tightly across her chest.

Miroku jumped. "'He'?" he echoed. "I assure you I only hide 'she's in here. I don't care what my stylish fashion sense has led you to believe, but I certainly don't swing that-"

"_Inuyasha_, Miroku!" Her eyes swept around the living room as if expecting a pair of furry ears to be poking up behind the sofa. "Where is he?"

Miroku stared at her. "Wha…?"

"Don't lie to me!" she warned. "This is just like you three – you, him, and Sango. Always in on everything together and leaving _me _out of the loop. If he's here, _tell _me!"

Miroku shook his head. "Kagome, I have no idea what you're talking about."

She jabbed a finger at him. "Classic guilty response!"

"No," he said, "Classic I-haven't-a-clue-what's-going-on response. Are you ok? You seem fairly rattled."

"That's putting it mildly," Kagome said, shivering, and promptly sat down on the chair closest to the radiator. "I saw him, Miroku."

The ruffled man cast a worried look in the direction of his bedroom. "Saw him where?" he asked, forcing a light tone.

"On the street, by the bridge. You know, the one near the ice cream parlour?"

"What was he doing?"

"Inuyasha-y stuff." Kagome tugged on her lower lip. "Skulking, I think."

"Ok… right…" Miroku was momentarily distracted by a heavy thud coming from the direction of his bedroom. "Uh, Kagome? I'd like to take this opportunity to direct your attention to this wonderful antique picture that I acquired from a special dealer a few days ago – if you'd like to look on the wall behind you?"

Kagome knew this routine. With a roll of her eyes, she dutifully turned her back and regarded the picture in question. It was a cross-stitch piece bearing the words "Home Sweet Home", although Kagome was pretty sure that it had come with the flat.

"Yes, that's right. Keep admiring!" Miroku was busy ushering a rather put-out looking blonde across the room and out the front door. They mouthed sappy goodbyes to one another and kissed cheeks. All of which was all too audible to Kagome, who made a gagging expression at the cross-stitch.

The door closed, and she turned back around to find a more relaxed Miroku leaning against it. "Fascinating picture," she commented dryly.

"Isn't it?" he agreed. "Now, what were you saying about ice cream?"

"Nothing. I said I'd seen Inuyasha. Just ten or fifteen minutes ago on the _Quai des Orfévres_." She scratched her arm for lack of anything else to do with her hands. "I… I turned around suddenly and I saw him. But I lost sight of him and I couldn't find him…"

"What were you doing wandering around at this time of night?" Miroku asked, glancing at his watch. "I really don't think you should be going around alone like that. I know it's not as dangerous as Tokyo, but things still do happen in these places. What if you got picked up by an old pervert?"

Kagome shook her head. "I was with Serge."

This did nothing to comfort Miroku. "You _did _get picked up by an old pervert!"

"_You're the old pervert!_" Kagome snapped. "Serge is lovely! He's in the army and he has green eyes! I was quite happily admiring them when _he _popped up and ruined everything."

"Ah," Miroku seemed to come to an understanding, much to Kagome's infuriation. "You felt guilty for being with a new man, so you psychologically imposed Inuyasha into the background as an excuse to run away from your date."

"I did nothing of the sort!" Kagome replied hotly. "Inuyasha was there! I don't know why, but he _was_."

Miroku's left eye narrowed sceptically. "Are you sure it wasn't just wishful thinking?"

"I wished to see him?" Kagome snorted. "Hardly. I hate the guy. I want him as far away from me as possible at all times, thank you very much."

"Oh, come off it, Kagome." Miroku flopped down into the chair across from hers. "We all know you have some inappropriate and naughty feelings for the boy. You've got that Norwegian syndrome."

Kagome gave him a revolted look. "I do not have Stockholm Syndrome. I hate him and I want him gone, and if you're _covering _for him, I'll-"

"I'm not, I swear." Miroku held up his hands. "As far as I know, Inuyasha is still toiling away in Tokyo with multiple death threats and blackmail hanging over his head. He's too busy to come pay you a visit. And it's not like he could hop on whatever flight he felt like and come to Paris. They don't let half-breeds onto planes."

Kagome dropped her head into her hands and squeezed her eyes shut. "But I _saw_ him," she repeated heavily, trying to fix his image into her mind. "I know I did. I wasn't imagining it, and it couldn't have been anyone else. I saw him… hair like that sticks out a mile."

Miroku sat forward with his forearms resting against his knees. The clock ticking in the kitchen could be heard in the long silence that stretched between them. Miroku finally broke it. "Kagome, have you been feeling stressed at all?"

"Don't!" she snapped. "Don't start implying that I just imagined it. I'm not crazy!"

"Didn't think you were. But I imagine things all the time." Miroku shrugged. "Every now and then I see someone out the corner of my eye and I think it's my Dad, or sometimes even Sango. Sometimes I call her just to check where she is, only to find her sitting in some secret office in Osaka, telling me off for calling on a whim and compromising her security." He sighed and gave her a lazy smile. "When you think of someone all the time, it seems inevitable that you see them in everything around you."

Kagome swallowed. "I _don't _think of Inuyasha all the time. I haven't thought about him in over a year."

Miroku wasn't impressed. "Trying not to think about someone is pretty much the same as thinking about them," he told her. "He's the kind of person who's hard to forget. I think of him at least once a day, and he didn't even kidnap or try to kill me. I can't imagine how often a day you must think of him."

Kagome tried to give him an angry look, but the effect was ruined somewhat by the brimming tears.

"You don't really hate him," Miroku said, though Kagome couldn't tell if it was a statement or a question.

"I do," she said, dropping her head to hide the tears that were suddenly streaking down her face. Her trembling voice still gave her away. "I _should_."

"Well, yeah, he did something to you that no poor girl should have to go through," Miroku said, forcing on a cheerful tone. Her tears were making him uncomfortable. "But it wasn't exactly his fault. The situation was beyond his control. Forgive and forget, Kagome!"

"I _can't _forget," she ground out. "That's the problem."

Miroku stood and moved to kneel down before her. He placed a comforting hand on her knee. "It's ok to miss him," he offered quietly.

Kagome inhaled shakily with a small sniff. "I think about him all the time. I keep trying to force him out, but he's stuck there like a piece of glass. And it hurts just as much."

"Thanks for the imagery…"

"I keep wondering if he's ok. I've not heard anything for over a year. I thought that it would get better with time, but it only hurts more. Every day gets worse." Kagome dragged her hands over her face in a lame attempt to dry her cheeks. She sat up sharply. "I can't stay here."

"You want to go home?" Miroku blinked.

"Yes." She nodded firmly.

"Ok… I'll walk you there if you'd like-"

"Not that home," she interrupted. A new fire of determination was burning in her eyes that Miroku hadn't seen before. He wasn't sure he liked it. "I want to go _home_. To Japan."

He gave her a stupefied look. "You can't."

"I have to."

"Why?"

"Because I can't live here. I don't belong here, and it's killing me." Her eyes were pleading. "I thought maybe I could be the kind of person who could do this. Who could just leave an old life with untied threads and start anew and make something for myself. But I can't. I'm not that kind of person. I can't live in Paris."

"Ok… we can go somewhere else, if you'd like." Miroku began grasping at straws, hoping he could dissuade her. "You speak a little English, don't you? We can go to America. I know the whole martial law thing is a little scary, but some states are still pretty cool-"

"I'm not moving to America-"

"Australia then!"

"The ten most deadly snakes on the planet live there!" Kagome half-shouted.

"What, all on the same street?" Miroku pursed his lips. "That's one to avoid."

Kagome felt he wasn't paying attention to her original point. "Not a chance. I'm going to _Tokyo_."

"How about the British Isles?" he begged. "The rationing kinda sucks, but on the other hand, you don't have to watch what you eat when you've got a limit of three hundred calories a day. People go there just to _diet-"_

Kagome thumped his shoulder. "You're not listening."

"Ouch, and yes I am. I'm just… trying to talk you out of it." He winced at her. "Is it working?"

"Nope."

"Well, that doesn't matter." Miroku drew himself up. "Because you aren't going anywhere without a plane ticket, and I'd like to see you scrounge up the money for a flight to Tokyo. On your salary as a dishwasher, I reckon you could afford it in about… ooh… five years?"

Kagome wanted to throttle him. "The embassy will give me a ticket!"

He just laughed.

It was too much for Kagome. With a near-feral growl, she got violently to her feet and gave him a hard shove. "Screw you! I don't need your help or the embassy's! I control my own life and _you _can't stop me!"

"Oh, Kagome, don't be like this." Miroku tried to grasp her shoulder, but Kagome spun out of his grasp and headed for the door. He sighed. "Diva!"

"Porn star!" she shot right back and slammed out of his flat.

Kagome didn't care what Miroku thought. He didn't understand how desperately she needed to go back to Tokyo. He was a man who had easily faked his death and escaped many unwanted matters in his previous life by doing so. He probably couldn't see the negative side of starting a new life in a beautiful, free city. To Miroku, this was just one big fabulous holiday where he was free of his obligations. To Kagome, this was a prison.

Miroku didn't get a stab of heartache every time he saw an advert on the subway or in a magazine about the phenomenal new G-Force cosmetic range. He didn't know what it was like to depend on an institute that didn't really care about whether he lived or died to pay for his living expenses. He didn't come home to an empty apartment and feel so intensely lonely that he wanted to scream just to see if anyone responded.

He didn't have a family grieving for him in Tokyo. From what he'd told her, he only had two or three nagging wives who were too busy arguing over his will and generally hating his guts to miss him. The people he cared about knew he was safe and well, which was more than what could be said for Kagome's loved ones.

Miroku had no idea what it was like to find out that someone he loved had tried to kill him. Kagome knew only too well. It had happened _twice_. First Kikyo… then Inuyasha.

_No_. Kagome squeezed her eyes shut and gave her shoulders a stiff shrug. Thoughts like those were inappropriate and vastly unhelpful. It was better to just concentrate on how she was going to call Serge tomorrow and explain her odd behaviour. Maybe she could convince him that the reason for her odd behaviour was because she'd remembered an important dentist appointment… and certainly not because she was an escaped mental patient like he'd probably concluded by now.

Kagome was still mulling over her thoughts obsessively as she arrived at her flat and let herself through the door. Without really taking note of what she was doing, she bolted the door, shucked off her shoes, and sat down heavily on the chintzy, over-stuffed sofa before rolling her eyes to the ceiling.

A treacherous little thought floated through her mind.

_I wish Inuyasha was here with me_.

Kagome was too tired to reprimand herself. She _did _wish he was there with her, and that she didn't feel so lonely and depressed. If he were there, she could lean against his nice, strong shoulder and say, "I had a really bad evening."

He would probably offer her a peanut or something as compensation and carry on watching TV. Kagome would naturally refuse his offer. She would much rather bury her nose in his sleeve and breathe in his musky, comforting smell. It was a smell that, even when confined to her memory alone, made her stomach ache with a feeling she couldn't quite identify, although she knew it was just as strong as her homesickness, and not at all dissimilar.

If she closed her eyes, she could almost imagine him sitting next to her. She could almost smell him again…

Although that could have just been the sofa that hadn't been washed in thirty-odd years.

Kagome was so wrapped up in her thoughts that she almost missed the sudden, very subtle change in the apartment. Something was out of place. It made her sit up and open her eyes and look around in bemusement, trying to figure out what was different and why she suddenly felt quite claustrophobic. Then it hit her.

The clock had stopped.

Its minute hand was motionless about the fifty-five second mark while the other two hands told her it had gone half-past eight. Nothing moved within the apartment. The emptiness gaped at Kagome, unsettling her enough to reach instantly for the remote control. With a snap, the television switched on and the room was filled with bad reception and snowy images. Kagome couldn't have cared less. It covered the silence, and that was all she wanted.

Dropping the remote, she turned into the sofa and pressed her face against the arm rest.

"Stupid Inuyasha…" she muttered brokenly.

Nine thousand, seven hundred and seventy three miles away, at half past four in the morning on a quiet street corner in the pouring rain… a hanyou sneezed miserably.

* * *

_**Fackyews**_

None today. Too sick to write any more…. :dies:


	20. Blood Red

**Zero-G**

**Chapter 19**

**Blood Red**

If Inuyasha had to make a list of his Top Five Least Favourite Things Ever, at least four of them would have been occurring at that very moment.

First of all, it was raining. Inuyasha hated rain. He wouldn't have minded if it was the kind of rain that hammered down from heaven and flooded the gutters – because that at least was over and done with in a few minutes. He might even have preferred the light drizzle that always managed to blow under your umbrella and drench you in a fine sheen of moisture. But no. This was the kind of rain that threatened all day and then finally broke under the cover of darkness. It was steady and relentless, and it had been going for five hours straight. Inuyasha didn't think he'd ever be dry again.

His second pet peeve was cigarettes. He hated the smell, he hated the taste, and he hated the people who smoked them – especially when he had to stand next to them. But that night, the tables had turned and _he _was the one with the cigarette in his hand. It burned steadily between his fingers, dripping ash onto the wet asphalt. Inuyasha never once brought it to his lips, keeping it vigilantly at arm's length. Every now and then, he ran out of tobacco and had to light a new one, only to let that one burn to waste too. It didn't matter. He only had to _appear_ to be smoking.

The new moon probably topped the list of Least Favourite Things Ever. Every hanyou had a night when the recessive genes took over for a few hours, and he was left as useless and helpless as your typical human. Tonight was Inuyasha's night. Which was partly responsible for the presence of his fourth pet peeve…

Guns.

They were too loud, too uncivilised and, frankly, too friggin' dangerous. How many times had Inuyasha accidentally forgotten to lock the safety and shot himself in the leg as a result? But whether he liked it or not, they were becoming part of the regular arsenal for the Coalescence. The police force was embracing firearms with alarming speed, and as a result, there had been a major gun boom. Several bookshops around where Inuyasha lived had been closed down and replaced with weapons dealers. Ordinary civilians could walk in off the street and buy whatever they wanted. And of course, once you armed your citizens, it was only a matter of days before your criminals had access to the most advanced weapons on and off the market.

The government was idiotic. They were quite effectively dismantling what had been a peaceful, quiet society and bringing it to chaos in less than a decade. Guns were power – the kind of power that was way beyond what your typical civilian could get their hands on. Power corrupted. You only needed to take one look at the government to see that. Gang warfare was suddenly no longer about rival graffiti and the occasional back-alley kicking. It was about open gunfights on street corners in residential areas with bullets flying in all directions and innocent people getting hurt and killed.

It was wrong. It was barbaric. But that was how it was now, and there was no going back. The only thing you could do to defend yourself was take up a gun of your own and pray you'd never have to use it.

Inuyasha resisted the movement. He refused to use guns unless explicitly ordered to by Naraku or the police. But tonight was different. Gone was his strength and stamina and his extraordinarily sharp claws. His hearing was muted, his nose was only good for picking, and his eyes could hardly make out anything on the grey, rain-washed street. Tonight he had accepted that, yes, perhaps he needed the gun. He just wasn't confident that when the usual danger arose, he would be able to cope on his own.

The air caught in Inuyasha's throat, and he spared a moment to cough into his sleeve. His human side didn't like spending all night in the cold rain. It seemed to buckle under the slightest pressure and didn't waste any time complaining. He pulled his jacket more tightly around him and huddled closer to the wall, no longer caring that the seat of his jeans were now sopping wet from sitting down for so long. In his pocket, a radio fizzed quietly with conversation. Inuyasha wasn't involved. While his cell was caught up in a complicated mission underground, Inuyasha was stuck on sentry duty.

This was what happened when no one trusted you. They gave you shitty jobs and shitty guns that went off in your face all the time. It was a miracle that the Coalescence had even let him come back to work for them, but naturally he had been painfully demoted. His influence and insider knowledge was greatly diminished, and no matter how many times Inuyasha pointed this out to his police handlers, they refused to let him pull out. A crap spy was better than no spy at all in their eyes.

Inuyasha sneezed miserably and glanced at his watch. Four-thirty. The sky was beginning to lighten up as morning approached, while Kouga and the rest of the cell were still taking their sweet time. Inuyasha grabbed his radio. "What's taking so long?" he growled.

A burst of static responded before Kouga's irritating voice piped up. "Relax, cretin! This is a delicate mission – these explosives are dangerous, you know. What's the matter? The cold getting to your squishy human bones?"

Too bloody right it was. Not that Inuyasha would ever admit such a thing. "Just get on with it," he snapped back. "A police patrol car has been circling the area and gone past twice now. If I stick around here much longer they'll get suspicious."

Kouga sounded dry. "Friends of yours?"

"Fuck off," Inuyasha bit out before stuffing the radio back into his pocket. His fellow agents – Kouga especially – tended to make these kinds of insinuations all the time now. There wasn't much Inuyasha could do. If he denied it too strenuously then he'd arouse their suspicion. If he kept his mouth shut, they'd only be equally suspicious. The trick was to treat the taunts the same way he treated the jibes about his human blood: as old tired jokes that he was sick of hearing. It didn't convince anyone… but at least it kept them guessing.

Thunder rumbled somewhere overhead, and a fresh sheet of rain surged across the old warehouse that Inuyasha was crouched against. His cigarette had dwindled to nothing again, but he had no more to relight. He discarded it with a mutter of disgust.

His hands were shaking now with a strange mix of nervous energy and fatigue. They roved restlessly across the gun, loading and unloading the ammunition clip the same way people clicked their pens, staring off into the distance without paying attention to what he was doing. Clumsily, he unsnapped the clip again and blinked when it fell to the ground beside him. He didn't bother picking it up.

Inuyasha examined the unloaded gun with a hooded gaze. It looked an awful lot like the one a ten-year-old kid had aimed at him a few months ago. Inuyasha had been quite innocently buying his groceries on a particularly warm spring day when the kid had leapt out at him from behind a fence.

"Stick 'em up and give me all your money!"

To which Inuyasha had airily responded, "Have you seen what I'm carrying? Imitation milk. Does a guy with money buy imitation milk? No. So why don't you go and fuck off back to your drugs and give the gun back to your mother."

The boy had pulled the trigger.

Inuyasha had pretty much asked for it, but he'd still nearly had heart failure. Luckily, the kid was a lousy aim. Inuyasha escaped with little more than a ringing ear, while the kid was soundly thrashed and pitched into a dumpster – followed shortly by a crushed handgun. It had been one of the many times Inuyasha had cursed the Bullet Boom. Stupid kids with dangerous toys were becoming more hazardous than his day job.

Another sneeze exploded from Inuyasha's chest. Groaning in wet misery, Inuyasha pressed the barrel of the unloaded gun to his forehead and squeezed the trigger a few times. He imagined his brains spurting out the other side of his head. "Squish, squish…" he commentated chirpily.

The radio crackled in his pocket. "Getting the goods now. We'll be setting the charges in four."

"About time…" Inuyasha yawned and scratched an itch on his nose with the tip of the gun barrel.

A flash of lights blazed across his place against the wall, blinding him momentarily. Inuyasha looked out at the road and saw a familiar police patrol car turning his way. How had he missed its approach? Stupid human ears couldn't hear anything over the rain…

Quite calmly, Inuyasha switched off his radio, reloaded his gun, and stashed it away under his jacket. Hopefully the patrol car would just roll on by like the last two times… but judging from the squeaking of wet brakes, Inuyasha had run out of luck.

Two officers pulled up to the curb a few metres away and emerged with their hands virtually sewn to the butt of their projectile weapons. Inuyasha had to roll his eyes. The Bullet Boom had made an awful lot of trigger-happy cops. Only last week had he been held up at gunpoint for speeding.

"This is a restricted district," the older officer on the left announced. "Would you like to explain what you're doing here?"

Inuyasha didn't move a muscle. A droplet of water fell from the tip of his nose. "Just… enjoying the fresh air," he responded lightly, before spluttering in an attempt to disguise a rather nasty cough, which sounded uncannily like a sea lion choking on a foghorn.

"Sir, I'm afraid we'll have to ask you to leave." They'd relaxed their grip on their guns. Perhaps they thought he was nothing more than a homeless tramp? His cough certainly hadn't done him any favours other than convince them he had about ten more minutes to live.

"Alright, alright…" Inuyasha stiffly got to his feet. It was better to just comply with their wishes and move away. They'd leave after they were satisfied he was on his way, and at that point he'd be able to circle back. There was no need for anything to get ugly tonight.

As Inuyasha clenched his hands inside his jacket for warmth and turned to walk away, the ground gave a violent shudder. Behind him, the warehouse groaned in protest.

_Ah…_Inuyasha thought, with a tightly fixed smile on his face. _Fuck…_

"What was that!" cried one officer. "An earthquake!"

"Sounded like an explosion." The older officer was reaching for his gun.

Inuyasha sighed. In a single motion, he turned and lifted his hand, his finger already squeezing the trigger before the men had even noticed him. His aim was deadly. Two shots rang out, muffled somewhat by the encroaching rain, and two men in black uniforms crumbled wordlessly to the ground.

The business park was suddenly very quiet again. The hiss of rain filled the silence, punctuated by the hum of the patrol car's windscreen wipers.

Calmly, Inuyasha pocketed the gun again and wandered over to join the fallen men. He crouched down beside them and checked each man for a pulse. Both were dead, pierced through the heart.

"I would have gone for the head shots," he murmured, using his fingertips to close the fathomless, staring eyes of the older cop. "But I wanted to give you the option of an open casket funeral."

Inuyasha reached into his pocket and turned the radio back on. He wasn't surprised to hear Kouga already yammering away.

"-you human dipshit – what the hell is going on? We heard gunshots. Hellooooo? Are you dead or something?"

"Get off the frequency, you moron." Inuyasha spat into the receiver. "We have two dead uniforms up here. Better get your asses moving."

There was a long static pause.

"Eh?" Kouga prompted.

"Dead! Cops!" Inuyasha enunciated loudly. He took his finger off the call button and shot the dripping sky a pleading look. "Buttmunching asshole…"

Kouga's voice sputtered out of the radio. "What was that?"

"Buttmunching! Asshole! Get a move on!" Lest Kouga pose another dumb question, Inuyasha quickly flicked the radio off and returned it to his pocket. He scanned the street once more for any potential witnesses and began rolling the cops over as he went through their pockets.

The first one only had a few bills of money in his wallet – only enough to buy a few sandwiches. The second cop had more, tucked behind the picture of a smiling teenage girl. Probably his daughter.

If it weren't for the braces, the girl would be a spitting image of her…

"Whoa!"

Inuyasha turned at the sound of Kouga's exclamation. The wolf stood against the entrance of the warehouse with a large box under one arm and a pair of gormless demons behind him who, together, were just about smart enough to equal half of Kouga's expansive intellect (not a great feat). Inuyasha didn't remember their names as the Coalescence cells were moved around and reformed so often that the only names he ever learnt were in code.

"D'you kill those guys?" Kouga asked, lifting his hand to tilt back a pair of tinted specs.

"No, I bored them to sleep with my recital of Act Three, Scene Three from Romeo and Juliet…" Inuyasha went back to removing the contents of the cop's wallet and stuffing it in his back pocket. "Of course I killed them. I had to when you blew the hatches without waiting for me to give you the all-clear."

Kouga took offence. "You had your radio switched off!" he retorted.

"Because I was talking to the cops!" Inuyasha exploded. "They don't take kindly to people who have voices coming out of their pockets saying they're about to detonate a few bombs."

"What were you doing talking to cops, anyway!" Kouga snarled. "Having a little chitchat with your buddies?"

"Yeah, 'cause I always shoot my buddies after a good heart to heart!"

One of the cell agents behind Kouga muttered into his hand, "That explains a lot…"

"Inuyasha-no-mates," the other agreed quietly.

"You were supposed to be inco… inconspec… incon… you were supposed to be not noticeable!" Kouga barked. "You're human!"

"Even humans get picked out when they're hanging around off-limit warehouses waiting five hours for the rest of the cell to complete a thirty minute operation!"

"We got lost!"

"You _always_ get lost! You couldn't even find the bathroom last week – you wound up pissing in the fourth floor closet!"

"Lies!" shouted Kouga.

"Why do you think everyone's been avoiding that floor recently!" Inuyasha pointed out.

Kouga looked ready to respond with another heated comeback when he fell quiet, his head turning slightly towards the twinkling city lights to the North. The other two demons had perked up too. Once again, Inuyasha could only loathe his humanity for having such bad hearing.

"They called back-up," Kouga said. "Any of you guys fancy being strung up and executed next week?"

Inuyasha rolled his eyes. The two cronies shook their heads vehemently.

"No?" Kouga shrugged. "Better get cracking then," he announced, leading the way onto the road. He brushed heavily against Inuyasha as he passed, making the human stumble heavily against the greater strength and weight of the wolf.

There was an old manhole a few metres away that had been their prearranged escape route. Kouga lifted the cover as if it were made of polystyrene and disappeared into the ground in one step, closely followed by the other two cell agents.

Inuyasha hesitated a moment. Even he could hear the approaching sirens now, but he spared one last moment to look back down at the dead men at his feet.

Two more families torn apart by tragedy…

"Inuyasha," Kouga's disembodied voice sang from somewhere beneath his feet. "Stop pillaging corpses and get a move on!"

Whatever his feelings, it didn't matter. They didn't matter. Hardly anything mattered anymore. These days, everything seemed to blur together into one long smudge of grey that tinted his days through a grim lens. The only prevailing colour seemed to be red.

Blood red, to be precise.

Inuyasha slipped down the manhole, descending the slimy metal rungs one at a time. His eyes weren't quite sharp enough to see how far he had to fall, and he didn't care to risk dropping from a great height in his condition. He ignored the snorts of derision from his unseen team-mates and continued the better-safe-than-sorry route till he was knee deep in a heavy flow of rain water and… other things.

"You didn't put the cover back on," Kouga remarked. Inuyasha squinted, but he could only see the vaguest outline of the other man's profile.

"Couldn't lift it," he shrugged in response.

Kouga tutted. "I _told_ Naraku he'd just slow us down…" he muttered grumpily as he waded past Inuyasha, shoving him aside for a second time, and quickly scaled the ladder.

In one effortless tug, the manhole cover fell back into place and the sewer was plunged into total darkness.

Inuyasha lamented his lack of visibility…

…yet he had never been so relieved to lose his sense of smell.

* * *

Only the profoundly stupid or the exceedingly brave walked inner city streets at night. Kagome didn't consider herself to fit in either one of these categories, and simply decided the only reason she was there was because of extenuating circumstances. On any other night, she would have been soundly tucked in bed with a warm pillow to hug. Tonight was different.

No matter how much they liked to say Paris was a glorious, liberal city full of life, happiness, and colour, there were still dark corners that were just as dangerous as those of any other city on earth. You still couldn't trust it.

Which was why Kagome was glad to have Serge with her.

"Are you sure you want to do this?" he was asking, walking just behind her, out of her line of sight.

"I don't really have a choice," Kagome responded. She strode on with confidence.

A black motorbike leant against the curb up ahead. Kagome ignored it.

"Want some mint?" Serge asked.

"No, thank you."

"Mint's good for you."

"I'd prefer something else."

"Like what?"

Kagome sighed as she drew to a halt. Serge's footsteps stopped behind her. She turned slowly, opening her mouth to tell him exactly what she wanted, but she choked when all she saw was a flash of white and a rock hurtling towards her head.

It didn't hurt. She simply hit the pavement and felt the world close in around her. Her body numbed of all sensation, save for the growing ache in her back. She couldn't move. Her vision was failing and her lungs were struggling to draw in breath.

_I'm dying_, she realised.

In the darkness, Kagome could only just make out the profile of his face. Fear prickled through every nerve in her body…

Then she realised she was just looking at a vase.

An upside down vase.

"…uh?"

It took Kagome several more seconds before she realised _she _was the one who was upside down. The pain in her back had formed because of her unnatural backwards slump over the edge of the sofa. One foot was hooked behind a cushion while the top of her head brushed the floor.

Great… an early morning aneurysm. Just what she needed.

Kagome rolled herself carefully onto the floor and sat back against the foot of the sofa while she rubbed the sleep from her eyes and calmed her hair down from its upright position. The dream was already fading from her mind. It disturbed her, but that was nothing new. Every now and then, her subconscious seemed only too happy to remind her of the very event that she was struggling hard to forget. Every time she thought she'd got a lid on her memories, something like _that _happened.

Since coming to Paris, her dreams had been full of people braining her with rocks, beauty products, notebooks, and traffic cones. The people behind the attacks differed. Sometimes it was Kikyo, sometimes it was a teacher from school. Occasionally it was her own mother, and she guessed she could now add Serge to her list. After a while, her mind seemed to give up all pretence of symbolism and meaning as it confronted her with the very same memory that haunted her whenever she sat for too long in the quiet apartment.

Since the clock had broken, Kagome had resorted to leaving her TV on all night to help her sleep. She directed her gaze across the room to the box of flashing lights and sound and focused blearily on the caption at the bottom of the screen.

An early morning news bulletin.

"…bodies of inhabitants of the small village were found piled in a shallow trench behind a farm. Two survivors are claiming that they were raided by the military for not complying with Japanese restrictions on local radio broadcasting. The incident has not been reported by Japanese media…"

Kagome sighed. Japan was always on the news these days. And if it wasn't the situation in Japan that was hogging the headlines and offending people's sense of liberal freedom, it was the American General making vague noises about wanting to send an army into Japan to 'sort things out' – which most people took to mean 'make Japan the 76th state of the American Empire'.

The world sucked.

Kagome felt that fact with every fibre of her being. It pained her so much that she was compelled to switch the television off and sink onto the floor with a cushion dragged over her head. If she thought too much about the growing famine in the British Isles, the plagues sweeping through quarantined Russia, and the floods engulfing Italy, it was all too easy to get overwhelmed. She wanted to do nothing more than lie on the floor of her living room and weep for all the suffering everyone had to endure while she lived it up in _fair Paris_.

The thought of her family living in the heart of the madness that was descending on Tokyo while she played around in the swimming pool of a villa made her feel endlessly guilty. She didn't even know if her family was ok. What if they'd been caught by a car bomb? What if they'd been collateral damage in a gang shoot-out? What if something had happened to the shrine during the government's crackdown campaign against all forms of religion?

The uncertainty gnawed at her.

The letters she'd wrote, all stashed away in a box beneath her bed, were meaningless. It was unlikely her family would ever get to read them.

It was unlikely _he'd _ever receive _his_…

All Kagome could do was continue to play dead and keep out of everyone's way. That was all that was expected of her. That's all she had to do. It was by far the easiest path of least resistance. There was no indication that she was going to be sent back to Japan to join her family. The embassy had already sent her notification that she was to inform them when she'd found a full-time job so they could stop sending her cheques.

It was obvious they thought she would be in France long enough to complete her education and obtain a real job. Then what?

Start dating? Marry Serge? Have green-eyed babies fluent in Japanese and French? Find a way to explain to Serge why her family could never know of their children?

What kind of life was that?

When she was fifteen, Kagome had made a reckless promise. She'd sworn that even if it meant dismantling the Coalescence itself, she would take back her life no matter what. It had been a stupid vow made by a naïve girl who hadn't known the full facts of her situation. But exactly how much closer had she gotten to reclaiming her life?

If anything, she'd _physically_ gone in the wrong direction. Paris was nowhere near her family shrine.

She was just rolling over and giving up like everyone back in Tokyo. It was impossible to fight something so much bigger and more important than herself. So why even try?

_Because no one else will_.

* * *

Sunrise was both a blessing and a curse. On one hand, it meant Inuyasha was no longer deaf, dumb, and blind. On the other hand, he could finally smell himself in all his sewer-trekking glory.

Flooded sewers were not kind on his clothes.

But at least he didn't have to bother with the debriefing. While Kouga and the rest of the cell were summoned straight to Naraku's office the moment they walked through the door, Inuyasha was free to hit the shower and change his clothes. And by a 'change of clothes', he meant 'steal Kouga's'.

That was the opportunistic side of being untrustworthy. No one wanted to discuss mission details with you, leaving you with a bit more spare time on your hands.

Inuyasha sat alone in the empty changing rooms, scrubbing his hair dry with a towel that smelled like it had already been intimate with a few dozen other people. But it was virtually potpourri compared to what he'd spent the best part of the morning wading through. Kouga's clothes weren't smelling as fresh as a daisy either, but it was better than nothing. Maybe. He'd probably have to have another thorough shower when he got home… as well as burn the clothes.

With a deep sigh, the hanyou got to his feet and mooched across to the sinks to splash some cold water on his face. He dabbed himself dry with a grey sleeve and caught sight of himself in the mirror.

Another sigh escaped his lips.

The stark florescent light was not kind to his complexion, but then, nothing short of pitch black darkness was. Dark marks of old injuries and scars stood out prominently against skin that was almost as pale and dry as his hair. Around his eyes were dark smudges of purple and red. He rubbed them half-heartedly, but he only wound up making the discolouration worse.

It was a sign that the lack of sleep and poor diet was catching up with him.

Wearily, he pressed the heels of his hands against his eyes, suddenly feeling just as tired and old as he looked. A familiar feeling welled up beneath his ribs. He'd never understood it, but it was somewhere between the urge to vomit and the desire to scream until he was hoarse.

The door to the changing rooms flung open behind him. Inuyasha lowered his hands quickly to look through the mirror at the new arrival.

"Boss wants to see you," Kouga drawled. He was picking at his teeth with disinterest, but there was a sullen note attached to his tone.

Inuyasha didn't move. "Let me guess. About those cops, right?"

Kouga hummed with a vague shrug. That was as good as 'yes'.

"Fine," Inuyasha grunted. He moved to fetch a hair tie from his locker and snapped his wet hair into a high ponytail before mooching slowly towards Kouga.

At the door, Kouga smirked. "Very nice," he said. "Very _ninja_."

Inuyasha viciously flicked the wolf's nose as he passed. Kouga squeaked indignantly and scowled after the hanyou. But as he rubbed the abused flesh, he noticed something else. "Hey! Are you wearing my clothes!"

It had been more than a year since Inuyasha had been allowed into Naraku's office. Not much had changed. The wallpaper was still foul and the mismatched furniture waved a vulgar finger at any concept of feng shui. The only real change was that the tank of sea monkeys had been swapped for an aquarium of Siamese Fighting Fish. Much more eye-pleasing. Had someone finally grown the balls to tell the boss that he was mooning over a tank of brine shrimp?

Inuyasha's guess about the cops had been dead-on. Kouga was succinctly told to wait outside while Naraku indicated Inuyasha could take a seat. He waited until the door was shut and they were finally alone before letting a slow smile spread across his face.

Naraku cut straight to the point. There would be no dancing on eggshells around the matter of distrust and betrayal. "So, Kouga tells me you killed two police officers."

Inuyasha shrugged. Naraku's office was dark, warm, and smelled a little ripe. Just like his flat. He felt himself wanting to nod off.

"Any reason?" Naraku tented his fingers, holding the apex to his chin. "Self-defence?"

Inuyasha shrugged again. "Not really. They heard Kouga blow the vaults too early, so I shot them."

Naraku's eyebrows tilted in amusement. "A bit hasty."

"They could have called for assistance. They had guns. They would have apprehended the others the moment they appeared, so why wait for the problem to manifest before dealing with it? Nip it in the bud before things get unnecessarily out of hand." Inuyasha looked at the fish. He could have sworn the blue one was staring at him.

"Good initiative," Naraku commented. "They _did _have guns, and you _were_ human. One shot could have killed you. The police are a bit overeager when it comes to firearms, so I can see them simply taking a shot at you in momentary panic. It's a nasty surprise a lot of people have been experiencing lately."

"I don't like surprises," Inuyasha conceded, clasping his hands behind his neck. He looked at the floor, not bothering to keep the earnest venom from his tone when he added, "And I don't like cops."

A lengthy silence fell on the office. The aquatic pump hummed quietly in the corner as Naraku stared thoughtfully into space. The blue fish was still staring belligerently at Inuyasha. It was unnerving him rather. "Sir, what's his name?"

Naraku didn't even blink. "Bubbles. Don't worry, he stares at everyone like that."

Another beat of silence suffused the air before Naraku finally tipped his chair back. "We have a mission coming up. Rather important. Rather secret."

Inuyasha nodded numbly.

"Ever heard of the Grand Hyatt Tokyo hotel in Roppongi?"

Inuyasha shook his head mutely.

"Nice place," Naraku informed him. "Attended a wedding there once. The food was to die for." He chuckled like he'd made a joke.

Inuyasha almost started. "Isn't that the hotel where that whole bunch of businessmen got food poisoning and died?"

"The very same!" Naraku dropped his hands against the desk. "Only this time, I'll be asking you to poison a contingent of UN workers who'll be holding conferences there between now and a week next Friday."

"Ooh, actual work?" Inuyasha smirked. "I'm honoured. You finally decided to trust me?"

"Mm…" Naraku's lips twisted. "You're starving to death, Inuyasha. If I don't give you proper work, you'll wither away by the end of the year. It's more out of pity than anything."

Inuyasha ignored the comment. "Will I be doing it solo?" he asked.

"No. I'm sending Kagura with you," Naraku said, turning his chair to regard the fish. Bubbles immediately stopped ogling Inuyasha and resumed swimming. "It's a classy place. The only way you'll get in is with a classy woman like her hanging off your arm."

"I see."

"I say that, but you'll be posing as staff. Kagura will bag a waitress and you can enrol as a trainee chef. _Try_ and slip the poison into the right meal." Naraku gave a short laugh. "Last time we played this gig at the Grand Hyatt, we wound up poisoning two families and a bachelor party before we got our targets."

"Ha ha," Inuyasha agreed. "When will this be?"

"No idea. Between now and the Friday, I suppose. Kagura's busy in Kyoto at the moment, and our poison specialist has stomach flu." Naraku leaned forward with a benign smile. "I just thought I'd tell you sooner so I could see a little flicker of hope enter your cold dead eyes. Living off one BigWac meal a week must get a little depressing. Are you depressed, Inuyasha?"

Inuyasha looked at his boss evenly. "Hungry, mostly."

"Well, you're free to scarf anything you want at Grand Hyatt," Naraku declared. "So you're willing to accept the mission?"

"Of course."

"Wonderful! You can go now." Naraku dismissed him with a wave of the hand. Bubbles glubbed sullenly at him from behind his glass wall.

Inuyasha heaved himself up and out of the office, only to come face to face with Kouga again. "Strip now," the wolf demon commanded. "Or prepare for the thrashing of your-"

In no mood to squabble with Kouga, Inuyasha pulled back his fist and slammed it squarely into the other man's jaw. He didn't hold back. Kouga bounced off the wall before crumpling into a neat heap on the floor. It wasn't often that anyone would KO Kouga. Normally it took the aid of mustard gas or some sort of anchor to knock him out, but today Inuyasha was not a happy bunny. And when Inuyasha was not a happy bunny, anyone who came on the receiving end of his fist would be seeing stars all day.

Naraku's voice drifted from his office in vague reprimand. "Inuyasha, don't kill Kouga. It's not nice…"

Inuyasha hissed a curse and cradled his hand against his stomach. He wondered just how many bones he'd fractured on that numbskull. "Sorry, sir."

After a quick pit stop at his locker to collect a fisherman style hat to jam over his ears, Inuyasha headed home. A hat was a necessity in a city like Tokyo with a growing hostility towards demons. Already he'd been accosted twice by gangs of human youths who had spotted his ears and taken an instant dislike to him. Both gangs had wound up scattered across three whole districts of Tokyo by the time Inuyasha was done with them.

Even with the hat, Inuyasha still drew the occasional odd and tasteless stare as he meandered through the streets on his way to the train station. His hair was odd. A bit too different. A few years ago, people had been indifferent to his appearance, taking him as a human with an odd sense of style. These days paranoia was ingrained so deeply in people that anything that set you apart from the mob automatically made you a suspicious person. A rebel. Rebels were harmful to a peaceful society, the government warned through various campaigns and advertisements.

By the time Inuyasha reached the station, it was time for the early morning rush hour. Streets were full of dull people adorned in black and grey (white had gone out of fashion again) who were probably on their way to work and school. The station was flooded with people while the trains moved in and out, far too full to let more than a handful of bodies on at a time. Inuyasha scanned the area closely before he was satisfied he hadn't been followed. He was alone. Well, as alone as you could get when you had three hundred plus people crowded around you.

Inuyasha took out his phone and dialled a number from memory. He pressed a hand over the ear under his hat to concentrate on the sound of the ring tone.

Someone answered with a cough. "Password," a man prompted.

"Obedience," Inuyasha had to almost shout to be heard.

"Ok, ok…" There was a shuffle of paper on the other end of the line. "We picked up two dead officers in the vicinity of your mission last night. _Please _tell me you were the one who got them."

"Yeah," Inuyasha answered flatly.

He heard his police handler sigh in relief. "Good. So it wasn't for nothing. Did it work?"

"In a way. Naraku invited me into his office."

"Fantastic. Any names? Any targets?" the handler asked greedily.

Inuyasha clenched his teeth briefly as he composed himself. "I told you before, it's not like that. I have to _earn _trust. Naraku's set me up on a mission some time between now and next week. It's a fairly big and messy one."

"Where?"

"Grand Hyatt Tokyo in Roppongi. The target is some sort of party of delegates from the UN."

"Ok. Good. Thanks for the tip. We might be able to-"

"No," Inuyasha interrupted. "It's a trap."

There was a long pause. "Oh?"

"There's only one other person who'll be coming with me. She's high-ranking. I don't think there's anyone Naraku trusts more. If this mission gets screwed up or the police miraculously arrive to save the day, they'll know exactly who leaked the information." Inuyasha rubbed his face, feeling tired again. "Naraku's testing me. Shooting the cops wasn't enough to convince him I'm not the mole."

"I see. Can you hold on for a minute?"

"Whatever." Inuyasha rolled his eyes as a cheerful little ditty began playing through the earpiece. The handler was probably off to inform his superiors and decide on the next best plan of action. Inuyasha didn't know why he bothered. The answer always came back the same.

A train was pulling into the station. People swarmed to the very edge of the platform, determined to be the first to get on the undoubtedly cramped carriages. Inuyasha quite mercilessly beat a clear path through the crowd till he was standing right before the train door as it opened. The music was still playing relentlessly in his ear as he stepped aboard. A dozen people crushed on behind him, almost upsetting the hat from his head. Inuyasha tugged it down sharply over his ears again and reached up to grab an overhanging bar. To fall over in this kind of crowd probably meant you'd be trampled on for a week before anyone noticed you were down there.

The music still played. Inuyasha chewed the inside of his cheek in boredom, ignoring the dirty look a middle-aged woman crushed against his side was giving his hair.

"Wait, wait, wait!"

Inuyasha glanced at the platform. The doors were beeping, preparing to close, but a schoolgirl was rushing to get on. She looked desperate, not much older than fourteen, and so uncannily like…

Inuyasha forcibly looked away with a mild grimace. It seemed that half the population of teenage girls looked like her. The door started to slide closed, and Inuyasha spared a small glance at the girl. She was reaching out for the opening, panicking at being left behind, and for a brief moment her eyes met Inuyasha's. The bottom almost dropped from his stomach.

_Like an elevator_…

The girl was cut off. The train started to move away from the station and the girl was soon gone from sight. Another hand passed over Inuyasha's brow. He was sweating, but that didn't have anything to do with the clammy atmosphere of the train carriage.

The music ended. "Yo?"

"I'm here." Inuyasha said. His voice carried through the silent compartment, though no one looked up.

"Ok, I talked to the superior. He says just continue as normal."

"As normal…" Inuyasha repeated, feeling his jaw harden. "You mean, he wants me to go in and poison all those people."

A few people inched away from him.

"We feel it's more important that you regain trust and power within the Coalescence," his handler told him frankly. "At the moment, you're about as useful as a dry pen. The only reason we haven't abandoned you is because you are the _only _insider we have. And if you don't start rising in the ranks and get some decent information soon, you will be ditched."

"Lovely." Inuyasha deadpanned.

"The UN workers congregating at that particular hotel are worth the loss if it means you can gain trust and ultimately save more lives."

"Right." Inuyasha swallowed his growing revulsion. "Like how killing those two cops was 'saving lives'. Like how putting bombs in playgrounds is alright on the off chance that at some point in the future, I might be able to give you the name of the Coalescence's leader."

"Don't get shirty now, Inuyasha." His handler's voice was mocking and curt. "It's your own fault that you're in this position. You were killing cops and kiddies long before we caught you."

Inuyasha tightened his grip on the overhead rail.

"Oh, and before I go, we actually managed to catch one of the sub-leaders in another city. He's given us a few names of some high-ranking agents. There's quite a few in Tokyo. We're a bit stretched on manpower, so would it be alright if you took care of one or two?"

It wasn't a real request. It was just a nice way to pose an order. "Just give me the names," he mumbled, beaten.

His handler rattled off five in total, along with their addresses, description, and aliases. Inuyasha grunted with every prompt of "Is that clear?"

"Have you got all that?" his handler asked pointedly.

"Sure."

"You're not writing it down. Write it down."

"I'm writing it down!" Inuyasha lied fiercely.

"Alright then. Hope to hear from you again." Which was another way of hinting that Inuyasha should try not to get himself killed any time soon.

Inuyasha hung up and looked around. Despite the cramped conditions of the train carriage, he'd now managed to accumulate some personal space. Evidently people had overheard some of the keywords of his conversation like 'kill', 'cops', and 'coalescence' and had given him as wide a berth as possible. No one would say anything. No one would report him. People were indifferent to crime and violence so long as they stayed out of its way. He could probably strangle the old man sitting by the window, and the most he would get would be an "Oh, bother…" from some uptight woman while everyone stepped back and averted their eyes.

However, if he were to take off his hat, it would be another story. Murder was one thing. Being a demon was something entirely more unacceptable. He'd probably find himself beaten to within an inch of his life.

The awkwardness of the journey relented somewhat when the train drew into the station at the heart of the business district. The majority of passengers took off, as well as a fair amount of the kids in school uniforms, and Inuyasha was finally able to find himself a seat.

Four stops further down the line, Inuyasha got off. After a short walk across the bridge running over the railway lines, Inuyasha was pretty much on his doorstep.

The flat was two doors away from the train station, backed right up against the railway lines and jammed between one abandoned house and one semi-collapsed office block. With each train that rumbled past, the flat threatened to follow the neighbouring offices into the ground, but as long as it remained upright, it remained the best that Inuyasha could afford.

It was a severe drop in living standard compared to his old flat, which hadn't exactly been Buckingham Palace either. But it was either this or a cardboard box. Both leaked and smelled strongly of rats, but at least here he could fit a sofa inside. A sofa which now doubled as a bed since his mattress had mysteriously disappeared four months ago. In fact, a lot of things went missing from that flat – including the lock on his door.

Inuyasha trudged up the outdoor steps to the topmost flat (he decided that in the likely event that the building collapsed, he at least would come out on top) and pushed open his door with a finger, before shutting it again behind him with a foot. There wasn't much to choose between indoors and outdoors. It was just as cold inside the flat as it was outside, if not slightly damper since there appeared to be more puddles in his home than on the street below.

Wearily, Inuyasha slumped onto his sofa, briefly happy to see it was exactly where he'd left it. For a long time he simply lay there, unmoving. He listened to the trains clatter past the window and watched the plaster dust fall from the dipping cracks in the ceiling.

A squeak drew his attention to the corner of the room. From under an old newspaper poked a pink, wobbly nose with whiskers. "Ah… Binky… my one and only friend! How nice to see you out and about during the day."

Binky ignored him and vanished back into her pile of junk to snooze. Inuyasha's stomach gave a wrenching groan. He momentarily entertained the thought of crispy aromatic rat for dinner, regardless of 'one and only friends'. He eventually forfeited the idea. However desperately hungry he was… he hadn't quite sunk to hobo level yet.

The phone in his pocket suddenly leapt to life, shattering the silence of the flat and causing Binky to rustle indignantly. Inuyasha groaned. No one called him unless they wanted him to kill someone or something.

"What?" he answered bluntly.

"Inuyasha! Bonjour! I hope I haven't called at an awkward time. These time zones are tricky things…"

Inuyasha stared at the wall, nonplussed. "Um… what?"

"I'm insulted. My own assassin doesn't even remember my name. I expect that from my father, but not from _you_, Inuyasha. Did our time together mean so little to you?"

Another groan tore from Inuyasha's throat. "Urgh… Miroku," he said, realising it as he said it. "What do you want?"

"Nothing at all!" Miroku chirped. "Just calling to, you know, catch up. It's been a while, hasn't it?"

"Nearly two years," Inuyasha pointed out. "Why the hell are you calling me? I thought I'd gotten rid of you."

"Charming. I hope you know that this call is costing me a small fortune."

"Then hang up." Inuyasha was more than ready to do it for him.

"Ah, no, don't be hasty. I just wanted to call to ask you something."

Vaguely intrigued, Inuyasha rubbed a hand over his tired face. "Shoot."

"Um… you wouldn't happen to know where Kagome is, would you?" Miroku's voice was full of forced lightness and nonchalance. "Only, I think she's done a runner and left the country…"

* * *

**Fackyews**

**Hope you're feeling better.**

Much. I have a sneaking suspicion that the amount of red hearts and soppy love songs on the radio and television actually moved me to physical sickness. The same thing happened to me on St. Patrick's day after seeing too much green… and drinking too much Guinness (which would make _anyone_ throw up, regardless of how drunk they were).

**Was Serge modelled on Hojo?**

Serge is a Frenchificated Hojo, with a bit more sensitivity. Hojo might have been included in this story as one of Kagome's previous romantic interests, but sadly, he's currently hiding out in the Alps after a nasty run-in with the Yakuza, going by the name of Henrietta with Bob the Goat as his only companion. Take that as you like. (I don't know. He might get his own spin-off story for that one…)

**Why do people sneeze in anime when people talk about them/Why did Inuyasha sneeze?**

It's an old Japanese belief that when you sneeze, it means someone is probably talking about you (not always in a flattering light). It's not just limited to Japan though, as China, India and Pakistan have similar myths when it comes to sneezing (where it usually means a loved one is thinking of you).

**How long have they been in Paris?**

Eighteen months exactly. (The hint was in the chapter title.)

**Why is Miroku discouraging Kagome's romantic relationships?**

This'll be clear in the next chapter…

**You seem to like to give Inuyasha very traumatizing pasts…**

Emotionally scarred and traumatised people are just SO much sexier than the average!

**Where do you buy sea monkeys?**

There's only one place I ever found and bought sea monkeys: on the ferry from France to England. I have no idea what they were doing there, but I suspect they were just plastic boxes of sea water fresh from over the side of the boat that had 'Sea Monkeys' scrawled across them. Having bought a set, I can assure people that these things are _not_ monkeys. Nor do they hold any kind of resemblance to the mermaid-esque people pictured on the box. I felt so cheated I eventually flushed them down the toilet. My love is fickle like that.

**Did Inuyasha kill Daisuke Hoshi?**

No. I'll probably explain this later on in the story.

**How long have you been drawing?**

Since last Tuesday.

**There's a lot I don't understand here…**

There's a lot Kagome doesn't understand either. Things shall be revealed in all good time…

**Is that ice cream thing true?**

Yes. Completely. I didn't make it up at all and it's true that all chocolate lovers are shallow and vacuous, mint-fiends are left-wing, and all strawberry girls are too cool for this world. There has never been a documented case to say otherwise.


End file.
